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Mari pulled away “You told Vince what?” Vince was their head of security, and she’d hired him herself two years earlier

“I told him to keep an eye on you To make sure you were protected”

“And why does that matter to you?”

“How can you ask that?” He nearly exploded, spinning around and going behind the table, putting it between them

Mari s that very thing Why does my protection matter to you?”

“Because I…” He faltered and then scowled “You knohy”

Oh, her Luca He’d helped her more in a few short weeks than months of therapy ever had She didn’t kno she could ever explain how o without a fight, so for the first ti in the shadows and came out to face her fear head-on

She let all her love for hihtened, folded her hands demurely and said with far more confidence than she felt: “Then stay I love you, Luca Stay with me and love me back”

Nothing she could have said could have affected him more His heart pounded at her words for a brief moment of elation before reality kicked in

And in some small corner of hisfor love and having it denied Of going through the h to believe Mari actually meant it And even if he did love her back—which he couldn’t possibly—it would be impossible for him to say the words

“Mari, I don’t knohat to say” He knew he sounded cold and wished it were different “I knoe said last night, about it , that was all true But love…” His voice trailed away He couldn’t say the words that leaped into his brain I’m not ready for love

“You’ve been through a horrible ordeal, and I think if you take tis are ratitude”

“I do owe you thanks,” she agreed, and froers he could tell this wasn’t coain, Luca For forcing ain”

Oh, what had he done! His brilliant plans Never had he considered they would end like this!