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Gideon's lips twitched, though his eyes became flint-like "I sure as hell hope there's arbitration on the other side If there's any truth to it, a person like her shouldn't be bound forever to a vampire like him"

"Unless the tables are turned and he's at her mercy That'd be justice"

"Fucking A"

Cai didn't want to feel a sense of accord with the servant who'd murdered Lodell, so he settled for a spare nod

Fortunately, Dovia, Rand and Daegan joined the the door for Dovia Once they were settled, a coupleat them from the front porch--Christ, just like the Waltons--they were on their way down the mountain

Done Cai let out a breath, even as he felt a weird sort of pang thatnicer to Lynn Thank Fane personally Maybe check out that game box a little closer

Pushing those unexpected thoughts aside, Cai focused on Dovia He noticed her hand on the bunny was relaxed, but her other hand was a different htened, her body reat deal was happening beneath the surface as she stared out into the night And it didn't see of the limo on hairpin turns

She'd wanted aseat Rand had chosen the seat facing her, his legs stretched out so they bracketed her neatly crossed ankles and folded legs Cai had taken a position to her right while Gideon and Daegan were in the next row up, near the driver

Cai shifted closer to her "You don't have to be this together, you know"

She turned her gaze froht the flash, a haunted look, before a polite distance settled into her expression His kneejerk reaction was to assu back up o

n her pedestal, now that she no longer needed the riff-raff who had saved her ass Rand's mind provided him a different explanation, one that made Cai kick his own ass

"Yes, I do," she said quietly "For what happened toit too blatantly in s worse for him"

"Your mother"

"She's a servant You know our world Or enough of it There's li now When I get hoet because of this"

The veneer slipped as Dovia bit her lip and shifted But she touched Cai's hand where it rested on his knee, a surprising reassurance "Myme comfort, and so willI won't be alone in dealing hat happened to me You're kind"

"I am so not kind," he said, but she just srasp of his hand as she turned her gaze back to theShe also slipped her feet out of her shoes and curled the Rand's calf, a prop

Neither man broke the contact as she closed her eyes and laid her head on the seat back In ti to Cai's shoulder Her hand was small and far too delicate in his

Cai's attention went to Rand He was an appealing sight, his hair brushed and tied back, ar on the door handle Those jeans of Stalker's were a distractingly good fit The T-shirt was tight, not a bad look His long legs were bent and knees spread, the usual sprawl of a large man in a car that could accommodate his size

Daegan had his eyes closed in the facing seat one row up, but with his straight stance, he looked like one of those stone statue guardians that er word Gideon was slouched down next to him, arms crossed over his broad chest, eyes also closed They'd all been prettycar, they could catch a feinks

Daegan was the kind of authority figure who norered Cai's suy kept it toned down He and Gideon had helped save their asses, and the relationship between Daegan and Gideonwell, it kind of interested Cai, how they pulled it off