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"I haven’t lived close to you in decades, Jerry, and we’ve always had hunters to deal with" I held up ue "I know Westwood’s h tech than the others, but I’ my shop to chase you to Lake Charles and hide inside your casino Sorry, Jerry You o there, I’ll have to come here"
"What?" I put down my can
"You heard me I’ll move here, to Austin"
"You’d really do that? For me?" This was serious "What about your business?"
"I’ve already had offers I’ll just sell it" He sat down on the chair across from me, his elbows on his knees as he stared athim in his plaid always reminded me of other, ood If only he didn’t look so absolutely hunky… Not a factor
"You aren’t going to do this for et it Besides, I was ready to hty man, he’d flashed me And did I look? You bet His fae
"You sure you want to come to Austin? It’s totally unnecessary I have my own life Friends"
"So do I Mara will be happy to co out Westwood"
"Of course This is about Westwood" Thulanced at the clock and got todownstairs now You can wait for Daot a business to run" I hurried into the bedroorab my purse and keys Valdez sat next to the door with his leash in his ain’ without " I turned to Blade who, ever the gentleman, had jumped to his feet "My day worker, Lacy, has been on duty by herself since six thisI probably need a third person, a third shift I don’t know yet Maybe I should close fro until noon" My mind raced with possible solutions
Better to think about business than the man who stood so close I could have reached out and touched his face, a face which looked freshly shaved It would be s again I re him, back in the day He’d loved the attention and had showed his gratitude in so sidetracked Business I had to relieve Lacy
Blade stepped even closer "You’re serious about this store, aren’t you, Gloriana?"
"Of course I a why you’ve always owned your own places" Blade has a string of businesses all over the world He’d start one, decide toelse in a new location No wonder he’s rich "I’m sure you’ll make a profit when you sell your casino"
"Yes, I will But I don’t give a damn about that" He brushed my cheek with his thuer here, Gloriana Please be careful"
I fiddled with Valdez’s leash to keep fro into that touch No, I was not that needy
"Thanks for your concern But I’ll be okay" I patted Valdez’s head "I’ve got , Damian’s security system complete with panic button, and my friends" I smiled and pocketedmy keys had been careless of me, but I’d been so upset… I narrowed ht" I stoain" I punctuated each ith a finger stab into Blade’s hard chest He didn’t even flinch Which ency Valdez reported that Westas here in Austin and that Florence said the shop was closed when she came home She orried when you weren’t upstairs either" Blade grabbed my hand and held onto it when I tried to wrench it free "I didn’t knohere you were, Gloriana"
"And you have to knohere I am every eon?" I looked down at his hand which had tightened around eon when you called your father--"
"That’s enough I’ation" I swear if a vamp could stroke out, Blade would be on his way to intensive care
And I wasn’t far behind hi love And wasn’t I an idiot to want one? After all this time? I took a breath and looked down at led ers "Seriously Do you keep track of all the other va and not so illustrious career? Heard fro to blow Mr Wonderful had made a few mistakes in the past I hadn’t been the first woman he’d turned Or the first one to decide he wasn’t her lord and master
"Leave Kaitlyn out of this" At least he finally let go of er If I had any sense, I wouldn’t goad hi controlled I uy It doesn’t get any worse than that If that rateful bitch, so be it
"Katie seeured out how to be free of your control Maybe I should give her a call You got her number?" I whipped my cell phone out of ht me?" He crushed me in his arms, purse, cell phone and all I felt the scratchy wool of the plaid tossed over his shoulder against le to put distance between us Forget getting away frorip