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"Oh, you’d reave a fake shiver and then grinned at Beth’s chiding look "Oh, please TheI’m sure Linda’s noticed"

Oh, had she She still carried some bruises Linda widened her eyes in confusion "But Sam is just a sweetie How could you say that?" And actually, the past couple of days had been wonderful She’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone there Just to watch television or talk hile having a glass of wine Soainst in bed

Jessica shook her head in ad sideways, she stole a french fry from Andrea

"Why didn’t you just order soht beforeAnd everybody knows stolen food has no calories"

"Good point" Laughing, Andrea pushed her plate into the center of the table to share "So, Linda, does Master Sam scare you?"

"Ah So a fry, she tried to explain further "It’s a good scary e’re playing I know he’ll push, and that’s a bit frightening, but"--she pressed her hand over the quiver low in her belly--"exciting too"

The sot et it

"Good word, ‘exciting,’" Jessica agreed

"But when he’s erous…look Sure, I know he’d never hurt ic"

"Oh, God, that’s how I feel when Nolan’s angry," Beth said "And I want to hide under the bed, only he sees that and really gets h my reaction’s just instinct"

"Exactly" Linda tilted her head "Were you one of the kidnapped wolanced at Linda "He was a real psycho sadist Makes you appreciate how careful and controlled ours are"

"Ours?"

"The Doh "I’m so full I’ll probably fall asleep atwith nuot a couple "

"I have fruit trees to plant" Beth looked at Linda "This weekend…it’ll be really, really fun"

Fun with a bunch of woet-out "I’d love to join you"

Near suppertime, Sam walked into a small diner near the University of South Florida and saw Linda’s children had shown up Probably not because they wanted to cooperate with his instructions, but because they needed soure they hadn’t inherited their irl, a can of Pepsi in front of the boy Looked as if they’d been there awhile

When he slid into the booth across froed to suppress his reaction…somewhat

Sam leaned back and studied them They had their ure Charles had her nose and deter her Refusing to speak with her Calling her names

As his silence continued, Brenna shifted uneasily in her seat

Charles’s ers around the can hite-knuckled "You wanted to speak to us, right?"

"I did Your mother talks about you, you know She’s proud of you"

Charles answered "Yeah, e’re not proud of her, the--"

"If I bust your jaw, she’ll be pissed off atyou suck your h a straw" Actually, it would bother the hell out of hiirl started to slide out, Sa her escape "Let’s be polite here I’ll have my say You do the same We’ll be done" He nailed her with a look that ed, then raised her chin "Go on, then" Like her irl First, let ht Your dad died when you were little Your mom ran the store to make money, raised you both, and used his life insurance money to pay for your tuitions She covers your rent every aze on the boy "She works hard for you What do you do for her, besides calling her nauilt "We help her with stuff at the house Yard work"

"We watched the house while she was gone," Brenna offered Her frown said she saw the iet you folks?"

"Coulp, she retreated