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Slowly, he ended their kiss

She searched his eyes and asked, "Why did you stop?"

He looked to the stairs "You knohy" He curved a hand around her face

Her father’s words echoed in her est you step aside

The threat of a forced ht Her father would have theht didn’t disturb her, but it obviously distressed Todd Could she live with a e of force and not of love?

Myra stepped back and broke their contact

"You’re upset" Todd concluded "Your father would"

"I knohat ether and stood a little taller

"He would have my head if I put you in a questionable situation"

"Is that what I am to you? A questionable situation?"

Todd stepped back "You’re er matched hers

"How do I know? Because you want me, desire me?" "That and more"

Myra waited for him to explain, but he didn’t

"Let me knohen you are ready to tell me what more is, Todd In the meantime, I’ll be sure to not place you in a ‘questionable situation’ I wouldn’t want you to be forced into anything"

She ht her before she took the first one "No one forcesI don’t want to do"

"Really?" she pulled out of his grasp "Look around, Todd It appears to me you have been forced to stay here"

"Do you think I didn’t knoould happen when I juht never see ain I knew exactly what I was doing, Myra, and I did it anyway" He took a step back "I chose to do it anyway"

Her hands covered her arle to keep war about you" He turned away "Get so day"

She would need an army, and an army she would have Far outside the reaches of the MacCoinnich faotten home It in no way reseroith vegetation, its walls crurowth e and surprise when people passed by

Their recruitment for her aro undetected froroups of people who passed by Much like a lion stalking prey, those who lagged behind their pack Grainna picked off, men and women alike