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"It is no more than you earned" He opened the door, looked back as if to say sohed and said instead, "Take care of yourself, Cynthia" He stepped outside and closed the door behind him

Cyn sank down into her chair and let the tears come It had been easier to believe there was no hope, that Raphael’s feelings for Alexandra and the deadly permanence of that bond cut off any possibility for thehton If life had taught her anything at all, it was that love could not be trusted Her father, her ers who took care of her, every one of theed that it wasn’t going to happen, that she ell and truly alone But the dah to her, had made her feel wanted, needed, cherished even And she’d responded like the fool she was, letting herself care, letting herself believe that he cared in return

She stood, shaking herself a bit, straightening her shoulders What did it one She’d been alone before and would be again So she had been a moment’s diversion for the powerful vaenerous, and her reputation would certainly benefit, which meant more jobs in the future So Great all around

She picked up her backpack and headed for the parking lot where the rented Lexus aiting for her So she’d been a fool Lesson learned She’d get over it A year fro But tonighttonight it hurt too , black liar Raphael walked across to ine and got out of the car

"She is well?" he asked

Duncan nodded, little more than a bow of his head "She appeared healthy and well-rested, perhaps a bit too thin, but" He shrugged "It was a stressful few days"

"Did she--"

"She asked about Alexandra, inquired for her health I told her Alexandra has asked about her, as well" He gazed steadily at Raphael, who met his stare

"What, Duncan? Say whatever it is I don’t want to spend the next several hours in the air with you brooding at er or embarrassment, Raphael couldn’t say Possibly both He waited

"Whether you claim her or not, my lord," Duncan said finally "She is yours"

Raphael stilled, his black eyes going flat with brutally contained emotion Left unsaid, never to be said in his presence, was the other half of Duncan’s pronouncement, the corollary that was as immutable as the truth of what Duncan had dared say For if Cyn was his, and he was filled with rage at the very thought of her belonging to another, then he was just as surely hers

Behind hied as the pilot prepared to taxi and he heard Alexandra calling his naether they walked toward the stairs

"Is it snowing yet in Colorado, Duncan?"

"Not yet, hed "I hate cold weather"

"I know, Sire Let us hope we can return to California before long"

"Let us hope"

The pilot closed the door and had the jet taxiing out of the hangar almost as soon as they were aboard There was a short delay while he checked in with the tower, and then Raphael was leaning back in the soft leather seat for take off, his eyes lingering for soh above the tar at the bar She was there and gone in seconds as the plane raced down the runway, rising into the night sky over the ocean before banking and leaving the warm sands of Malibu far behind

Cynthia sat at the sushi bar above the Santa Monica Airport and watched a sleek Gulfstream as it soared into the cloudless sky She didn’t knohy she’d come here, to this place She hadn’t been to this restaurant in years, not since a brief fling with an FAA test pilot Her only thought on leaving her office had been to go home and sleep a fewin the opposite direction, and here she sat watching someone else escape from LA

She stood, suddenly anxious to leave She was cold and her jacket was in the car Dropping a tip on the bar, she headed for the elevator, wondering if she would ever be warh in the world to erase the touch of his hands, the taste of his kiss And knowing she’d trade a lifetiht beneath the cool le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>