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He stood in the darkened roory er inside him broke free The monster that wanted to rail at the world for the unfairness that took Bree froer toward Bree herself, even though he could never openly express it, because she’d taken the choice of family or her away from him

The ust he had with hi—the love he’d borne for Bree being paramount in his life—he still lusted for her friend, now more than ever before

Seven

Alexis went through the ht now she knew sleep would be ione off well, if you discounted how it had left Raoul feeling No one had see, not even Catherine who’d seeone very pleasantly, even if she hadn’t been able to enjoy it, too aware of Raoul’s absence

She’d not long thrown herself against the fine cotton sheets of her king-size bed and switched off her light when there was a gentle knock at the bedroom door There was only one person that could be She slid from the bed and walked quickly toward the door

“Raoul?” she asked, as she turned the knob and opened the door wide

His eyes flew across her, taking in her silk nightgown—one of her few indulgences from her time in Italy last year—and her bare feet in one sweep

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have disturbed you”

He went to walk away but she put out a hand to stop him

“It’s okay Did you need ?”

He looked at her in the dark, and through the sheen of litter of his eyes His face was pale, his whiskers a dark shadow on his cheeks and jaw He’d never before looked so dangerous, or so appealing to her She took an involuntary step back and saw the look of chagrin that crossed his face