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“Now that you have ht, I have to find my pleasure where I can,” he said with a twinkle in his eye

Clio looked away fro that she didn’t fall apart before she had a chance to be whole again

Because this time there would not even be pieces of her heart and self-respect left

Leaning forward, he tugged her left hand into his She barely ainst her skin

Her heart slae Instant refusal rose to her lips But she held it off as she caught Stefan’s expression

Distaste, and solimmered in his eyes

Was he re of Jackson?

That day in the flat, she had reht for her Had finally felt free after so long

Eyeing the ring, she willed herself to cal into with her head screwed on right

At least it was so that was close to her own taste—the

Her gaze flew to Stefan, atched her with an intensity that arrested her thought process

“Stefan, thank youfor everything I—”

“Not required, bella Do not, even for apersonal to all this You have your side of the bargain and I have mine to keep up”

While she grappled with his ruthless warning, he leaned forward and unbuckled her belt “We will see Jackson tonight at a party, Clio IBut obviously he will be foae ht about Jackson, it’s going to get dirty

“Do you have what it takes to face him, Clio?”

“And if I don’t want to?”

“Then I will drag you with et an opportunity like this again”

The utter ruthlessness hich he said it stunned Clio Every tiain, she wondered why Stefan despised Jackson so much