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Well, hell, Margo thought That wouldn’t do much to help calm Dash She stole a quick look at him and saw his eyes narrow, his shoulders bunch But otherwise he kept quiet

When he looked at her, she gave an aluishable shake of her head

"You and Saul will enjoy her," Curtis continued "And once she’s broken, after she’s sobbing and desperate, then we’ll kill her But not before"

Proving he was smarter than the others, Toby curled his lip and shook his head "Saul can have her I’ll take the girl"

This disruption to his plans clearly disgusted Curtis, but he accepted Toby’s decision "Suit yourself"

With a lecherous look at Yvette, Toby said, "Oh, I plan to"

Yvette wrapped her arhtly around herself and stared at her feet

Cannon still hadn’tin his jaw, he remained perfectly still

When Curtis barked, "Goddaain!" Yvette jumped and cried out

Putting his arht to his bulky body "Easy now, little girl Things are just getting started" He rubbed his goatee against her face, bit a little roughly at her ear "No screao held out her arms while Saul--oh, so cautiously--snatched away her purse He grabbed the gun off the table and literally bolted, high-stepping around the kerosene to place everything on the dining rooo said

"With each other, of course"

"No" She shook her head "With other swine"

She could tell her insults were starting to grate on him The muscles in his neck and shoulders flexed and twitched "Yes, on occasion, I share It pays to appease people in high places just in case h places? Likein the police departs compressed

"Now," Curtis said to Cannon, unconcerned with her distress "Who exactly are you?"

"He’s no one," Yvette rushed to say "He’s just a neighbor He--"

Toby grabbed her face in his big hand, squeezing so that she had to look up at hihed "Damn, but I think she’s s"

"He’s not!"

Ignoring her, Curtis pondered things "I can i scenarios between the two of the"

At the sa so excited he damned near drooled on himself, Saul asked, "Like what?"

"I’ll tell you after we set up the caer in a circle "Hands up while you turn around so we can see that you’re not hiding a weapon"

Cannon raised his hands and slowly did a turn Margo saw the bunching of his hs He was coiled so tightly she wondered that the trippy trio didn’t worry o and secure his hands" And then to Cannon, "Make one wrong move, and Toby will break her neck Do we understand each other?"

With no discernible eo thought Cannon was so contained Both he and Dash were handling things as well as could be expected No posturing, no drawing undue attention or escalating the tension with ineffectual cursing and struggles

Cannon stood docile while Saul wrenched his hands back and looped the nylon cuffs around hiaze met hers, and they both understood

Saul didn’t realize that the restraints needed to be against the skin, not over a long-sleeved T-shirt and jacket

Cannon turned his back to the wall and stood still With any luck, Yvette had secured Dash the saet his hands free

Oh, God, please let us have an advantage

"She’s up to soh "Easy, Toby Keep that up and everyone is going to think you’re afraid ofthe knife, Toby rubbed his hand over Yvette’s stomach "I just don’t want you"

"Because I o taunted "I do understand"

Curtis e chair Tipton bit back an agonizing groan "Sit in the chair, old rinned at Toby "You know, I’ht Does the little lady scare you?"

"No"

"She’swhat? Five-four? Maybe weighs a buck-ten?"