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True

"It was a uniquely frustrating experience It gave rey hair See?" He pointed to his temple

I didn’t knohat to say

"My unsolicited advice would be to continue on your present course You’ve terrified the Harcourts, stood up to Madero, and resisted Tre quite well"

"What do I do about randhed "She’s attacked me twice It requires a response"

He nodded "Yes"

"I thought about co to the Office of House Records, but it may make us look weak"

"Do you want to be the child who runs to the teacher because soround?"

"No"

"I didn’t think so You have a choice You can be seen as a House who relies on others or a House who handles its own problee Make it short and to the point"

I flicked throughsent me

"Trust your instincts," Linus said, and smiled

"TRM Enterprises," a cultured randmother," I said

He didn’t even pause "Yes, Ms Baylor"

"House Madero is out Yourup

"Good," Linus said, and sipped his espresso "Things would be much easier if the two of you could sit down and talk"

"She doesn’t want to talk She wants to kidnap me and force me to serve her"

"Victoria is practical Eventually, she’ll come to the realization that she must settle, just as you’ll come to the realization that you can’t completely escape her Surely the two of you can find soht push If you s out, you would come to a compromise"

"What if she won’t compromise?"

"Then you’re no worse off than when you started"

True

"Would you like ht direction?" he asked

"Yes, but how do I know she won’t try anything?"

"You know because I’ for your safety with Victoria If she doesn’t agree to "

"Okay"

"Then it will be taken care of And here co sword"

Sabrian marched toward us and stopped "Frank Madero came to and confiro"

"Thank you"

She nodded to me and walked away

"Thank you," I said to Linus

"Of course This is what I’ain "Besides, things around you have a way of turning interesting I do hate to be bored"

We made it home a fewdinner Arabella sat at the kitchen table with her nose in her phone

Moreen--and pinned me doith her stare "What did you do?"

"I took hi eyes in Arabella’s direction Mom refused to take the hint "What happened?"

"Victoria Tremaine attacked us She sent Dave Madero’s brother And some people I took care of Frank Leon took care of the other people"

There, that was nice and neutral

Arabella got up and walked across the kitchen

Mom opened the cabinet, pulled out the decanter filled hiskey, and poured three shots into slasses "Are you okay?"

The intercom came on "Leon killed so to rowled