Page 41 (1/2)

The ringing of his cell phone stirred Duncan to alertness sometime later Emma had fallen asleep and he hadn’t wanted to disturb her, so he’d held her while she slept and let hishis attention these days Everything fro construction, to the question of Lacey’s killers, to the all important issue of Emma’s safety If it was up to him, she wouldn’t leave the residence until he knew that all of those responsible for Lacey’s death had been dealt with and were no longer a threat His preferredher safety was the h rationally he understood it would raise a few flags if several elected officials died all at once So he’d kill the worst of them and ensure the others left town For now

E open slowly She stiffened, probably realizing she wasn’t in her own bed And then, to his great pleasure, she relaxed against hi next to hiuel," he said, kissing the top of her head "I should talk to hih kiss, her naked breasts swaying close enough that he cupped one in his hand, s when her nipple immediately hardened in response She hu away "Tell Miguel he has lousy ti," she said, then slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom

Duncan watched her shapely ass until she closed the door, then padded out to the other room to retrieve his phone from the desk He didn’t actually have to answer to knoas Miguel calling him The connection between a Sire and his va, especially when the Sire was as powerful as Duncan

"Miguel," he said, answering the phone

"Sire," Miguel said cautiously "I don’t mean to interrupt--"

"You’re not," he assured his lieutenant If it had truly been an interruption, Duncan wouldn’t have answered at all

"My lord, the guard we had on Ms Duquet today tells reat deal of time with Violet Slayton"

"So I understand," Duncan said "Emma and I will join you in the computer room shortly"

"Thank you, Sire"

Duncan disconnected, suel’s discretion What he’d told E soundproofed was true None of his va on But that didn’tEven without their blood link to hienerated When one added that link into the mix, they knew very hat Duncan had been up to this evening

Eed fro else on full display She glanced up to see Duncan watching her hungrily

"Stop that," she chided hiet out of this roohed "Eventually you’d get tired ofhis arainst his body "Never," he whispered in between nibbling kisses to her ear and throat Ery little cry of her own, and tilted her head against his shoulder, giving him full access to her neck She shivered when he bit the lobe of her ear, and her nipples poked his chest

"You’re a very bad ainst his skin

"I’m not a man at all, Eood at what I do"

"And what’s that?" she asked, kissing his shoulder before pulling away to give him a curious look

"I take care of the people who matter to me, and especially those I consider mine" He kissed her soft mouth "And you, Emmaline, are most definitely ered," Em in thewith Duncan and several of his va Phoebe The chair was hard and uncomfortable, the room was cold, and she was bone tired She’d been up ht, had worked a full day today, driven out to Violet Slayton’s hoorous couple of hours with Duncan--not that she’d give back one minute of her time with Duncan noto look as though she wouldn’t getwith va started on their day, so to speak, while she wanted nothing ht

Except that they were discussing their approach to Violet Slayton, which was so to let the them what she knew, no matter the stakes