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"Well, then," Colin said, raising each hand in turn and kissing her fingers "I’ll tell you what, Sophie Until you can uard and watches for that stake so you won’t have to And if you get angry, you can yell atboard, I’ll be there And at the end of the night, e’ve locked the door and it’s just you and ain, I’ll strip you naked and we’ll make love until sunrise, because I happen to love every wo, Sophie slid off the seat to stand in front of hihtly "I’ed her closer, pulling her into his ar one hand on the curve of her delicious butt "Hold me anyway you want, darlin’ I’ back to see his face "You do understand that if you go with me to Vancouver, if you continue to takehis eyes "We will live a very long tihed with relief, squeezing her tightly "Is that all?"

"I’m serious"

"So am I, darlin’ And I a in the sar her soften in his arainst her mouth

"Colin," she said breathlessly, her eyes wide open and staring into his froo with me to Canada?"

"Just try to keep h"

"Just one?" she said, sh and hty’s timetable? There’s plenty of hours left before sunrise and Vancouver’s not that far I say we blow this place tonight and the hell with Raphael"

Sophia fisted her fingers in his hair and pulled him in for a quick, hard kiss "I like the way you think, onna drive Don’t let this vao your head, wohway and turned right, heading for Canada

Chapter Forty-Six

"You didn’t destroy Sophia," Duncan observed quietly, as they sped back to the compound

It wasn’t a question; Duncan would never have questioned him But Raphael heard the curiosity in his lieutenant’s voice He considered the statement for a few moments, then said, "In the end, she wasn’t really a part of this Lucien played her just as he did the rest of us Butenough to hold it She’s also indebted todays"

Duncan nodded thoughtfully "The Koepke woreed

"Lucien knew her in Vancouver He’d never bound her to him, but he’d used her It was easy for hiain"

Raphael shook his head irritably "Lucien ht have pointed the killers at Marco and Preston, but they didn’t need hih that people knehere they lived They o out, and Marco’s horses made it easier to identify his property"

"Even so, ements, this wouldn’t have happened"

Raphael nodded "When the new compound was commissioned, I authorized whatever expenditure was necessary to bring everyone’s security up to modern standards Loren was to have seen to it"

A fewthat had happened since they’d arrived, all the details that had slipped his htened into a fist as he fought the urge to punch so Or someone But Loren wasn’t here, and Lucien was no ht in," he said abruptly "Someone from outside the Seattle nest Wei Chen can re head of security, someone more powerful than Wei Chen"

"I’ll compile a list,first thing toht Cyn will be able to travel by then and I want to take her ho the SUV to a s One of Raphael’s security contingent aiting He pulled the door open and Raphael cli

As he started up the stairs, Duncan joined hiave his lieutenant a sht with Doctor Saephan over his restrictions"

Duncan laughed "I would expect nothing else I will see you both toeht cah for all her professed eagerness to return to the co troubling her

He didn’t push her, though, knowing she’d eventually tell hilanced over to where she sat on the bed, resting after the exertion of her first shower since the shooting She’dlegs were bare, and far too thin

Doctor Saephan had finally per Or rather to drink soh protein liquid shake instead of the usual blood bags He’dplenty of chocolate syrup, which testified to hoell he knew his patient Cyn hadn’t even whispered a protest

"Raphael"

He shook hi up the yoga pants she’d chosen to wear

"Stay there, lubimaya I’ll put these on for you"

"I can stand"