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“Who says my ancestors were marauders?”

“They were pirates, plain and siotten bounty to establish a country, but they were not the pillars of society their descendants beca I a an awful lot exactly like that

“No…I a to remind you that you are one of those rational, civilized descendants” She looked into his eyes and what she read there reed with you…before, but in the last weeks, I have discovered a heretofore unknown streak of primitive possessiveness where you are concerned that hearkens back to my ancestors quite effectively”

“So you do realize it’s there…”

“Yes And you must also, which then means you should realize how foolish it would be to attelared at his complacent certainty “If I decide to walk, I alk”

She meant it, too Maybe she didn’t descend fro in her veins as well as a good dose of American assertiveness

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“DO NOT decide to walk” The pleading in his voice wasthan the fact he’d allowed his primitive streak to show so blatantly

“What will you do?” she asked softly, trying to read his expression, but not understanding what she saw there

He was silent several seconds and then he sighed “Follow you”

She laughed because it was absurd He was more proud than his father and if Vincente had been unable to bend enough to apologize for behavior he had knoas reprehensible, Claudio would never stoop to chasing after a ife Besides, he couldn’t, even if he wanted to “Your duties wouldn’t allow it and you would never lower yourself to tagging after me like a lost puppy”

“Puppies are harmless I am not Make no mistake…I would follow you”

“But your duty—”

“My first duty is to you, o”

He would…if she really wanted to go Primitive streak, or not…he was ahere was that he would not ht both him and her own desire to stay However, she wasn’t sure anye in which she was not loved

It hurt, aslast night Her pain and vulnerability that resulted fro was not returned haduered heart Without his love, wouldn’t she continue to do that very thing?