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She giggled Maybe all of London's gentle that evening

Taking a deep breath, she shut theand led up under her mountain of covers that she remembered that he had never found his fulfillment

She smiled wryly No wonder he was so cranky

John made his way back to his brother's house, his hand on his pistol the entire tierous these days, and one really couldn't be too careful Still, he hadn't wanted to bring a carriage by Belle's house Soht have seen it, and he didn't want her subject to any vicious rumors Besides, it was only a few short blocks to Damien's home It seemed that all of the ton was squeezed into one tiny section of London He doubted that most of them knew that the city continued past the borders of Grosvenor Square

He was about halfway home when he heard footsteps

He turned around Was so but shadows He continued on his way Surely he'd iined it He was still paranoid from the hen every sound could mean death

He turned the last corner when he heard the footsteps again And then a bullet whined past his ear "What the hell?"

Another bullet whizzed by, this one grazing his ar blood He whipped out his pistol and spun around He saw a shadowy figure across the street, furiously reloading a gun John lost no ti, and the villain went down as he took a bullet in the shoulder

Damn! His aim was off Gun still in hand, he started after his would-be assassin The ot to his feet He shot John an apprehensive look, but his face was covered by a half- hilance, the villain rushed off

As Johnhi him this way There was no way he'd be able to catch up with his attacker Accepting defeat, John sighed and turned around This was trouble

And he had no right dragging Belle into it

His hand strayed to his ar He could barely feel the pain, however His fury blocked out all other feeling Someone was after hi him cryptic notes and wanted him dead

And whoever it was, he probably wouldn't hesitate to involve Belle if he realized howhi the past week, he would know that John had spent every free minute in her company

John swore as he mounted the front steps to Daer, even if that e plans