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hissed quietly, "Go back to your place now Before I kill you"

"Are you kidding?" Carlos perched on the ar"

She swatted Carlos on the shoulder, but he didn’t budge It was no use She leaned close so she could whisper "Don’t say a word about hi a Vamp You’re not supposed to know"

"My lips are sealed" Carlos’s eyes twinkled "Unless he has other plans"

She huffed "Don’t you darea bit territorial, are we?"

She glared at Carlos’s setting any younger, love," Carlos murmured "Let the poor man in"

"I aasped when she realized The Black Pages was sitting right there on the coffee table She stuffed it under the easy chair’s seat cushion, then rushed to the door

Vanderkitty followed her She flipped the lock and opened the door

"About tiaze flitted past Toni to rest on Carlos With a lift of his chin, Ian regarded the other man sternly "I doona believe we havewhile he looked Ian over "Nice kilt"

Van hissed at Ian, then jumped into Carlos’s lap "Good kitty" He slowly petted the cat

Ian arched a brow "Who are you and why are ye here?"

Toni stepped in front of him "It’s none of your business what I do when I’m off duty"

Ian lowered his voice "Aye, but when ye’re on duty, I’m no’ in a verra talkative mood Ye said

ye’d love to talk to ood tilanced at their empty plates on the coffee table "Ye’re done with yer dinner, aye?" Carlos set Van in the easy chair, then approached with a hand extended "I’hbor"

Ian shook his hand "Ian MacPhie"

Carlos glanced from Toni to Ian and smiled "I’ll leave you two alone then"

"You don’t need to go, Carlos" Toni gave hiift for you, reht back" He sauntered toward the kitchen

Toni frowned at Ian "I thought you had three dates tonight"

"No’ real dates," Ian htclub" He lowered his voice, "For htclub?" Carlos asked with one foot on the sill "You should take Toni She lovesDon’t you, menina?"

She stared at Carlos, confused

"It’s no’ a suitable place for her," Ian began

"Too wild?" Carlos asked "Don’t worry Toni loves to get wild Don’t you, love?" He winked "I--I doona think she would like it," Ian insisted, and Toni realized he wasn’t able to explain that this was a vahtclub

"Toni just adores places with lots of action" Carlos gave her a pointed look, and it finally clicked A vaet the proof she needed "Oh yes! I would love to go"

Ian’s eyes widened "Ye would?"

"Of course" She gave hi smile "You will take me, won’t you?"

"But ye knohat kind of people will be there," he whispered

"I’d really like to go" Toni h the kitchen

"I’o with you to this club, it et over it I could see you all in a different light"

Ian nodded "Connor told me how bad the attack was I’m verra sorry"

"Oh" Did he really care? "I--I’enuinely concerned "It happened only a few nights ago Ye havena had time to recover"

"Well" She smoothed a loose tendril of hair back froht bravely He was verra impressed"

She drew in a shaky breath No, daetting on her nerves And the biteto itch "I don’t knoould have survived if Connor hadn’t co when he did"

"I understand nohy ye hate mind control so much Connor told me how they forced ye to take--"

"Please stop!" She didn’t want the ht now

"Toni" He touched her shoulder, and she flinched "Och lass, I would never hurt you" She blinked, refusing to cry This would never do A stubborn, suspicious Ian she could handle, but a sweet, co all her defenses

She backed away and folded her aration going? Have you decided whether I’m trustworthy yet?"

"I still doona know yer full name But yer refusal to talk to me is verra understandable after the way ye were attacked"

"True" Ortoo attracted to this guy Not that she would ever admit that

"I’m still no’ certain why ye dinna let Connor erase theye pain, lass"

She snorted "If I had all my bad memories erased, there wouldn’t be much left"

Ian frowned "Surely that canna be so"

Toni thought back No, there had been happy tirandmother Fun times with Sabrina Moments of pride when she’d done well in school

"My mother didn’t want ainst her mouth Damn How had that slipped out?

Ian looked stunned "How could that be?"

"I’ed one shoulder "I dinna think that randmother She was happy to raisemistake Me" Toni waved a hand in dismissal "It’s not important I don’t knohy I mentioned it"

"Because it causes ye pain It’s the pain we endure thatYe’re verra brave no’ to run froaze was drawn once led with awareness Her lips went dry Hercloser to hi the same compulsion