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Nora’s stohtened

"That reporter was ent and daet to you more than she did Get to us I orried there for a while that she’d find out e are Things could have gotten ugly But I guess that would have kept you fro intobishop," Søren said, a little glint shining in his eyes The glint told her all

"Oh, you son of a bitch," Nora groaned "You were the one who tipped her off, weren’t you?"

"Kingsley, actually Although it was my idea I knew if I could tell the search copublic"

"You manipulative Machiavellian assle, I love you" Nora burst into laughter She should have known She absolutely should have known Suzanne’s presence in their lives had been Søren’s idea all along

"In my defense," Søren said without a hint of shame or contrition, "we did choose her because I knew I could help her"

"Yes, you’re a saint St Søren the Bastard, Patron of Manipulation" She couldn’t stop laughing He really would do anything to protect the final approval on my canonization"

Nora rose up on her toes and kissed him

"You can open the card now," Søren said into her lips

"The card? Oh, the card" Nora reiven her at the beginning of the summer She’d resisted the terabbed her bag and dug through it Pulling out the card, she tore it open and read the words written on it in Søren’s elegant script

You are for of Griffin Fiske and Michael Dimir

Nora’s jaw dropped She looked at Søren and swatted his arm with the card

"You knew?" Nora’s eyes nearly fell out of her head

"Of course I knew," Søren said "I’ve known Griffin for years I’m Michael’s confessor I knew they’d fall in love with each other I kneould be a good opportunity for Griffin to redeem himself I’m quite happy for Michael He needs someone as out and as effusive in his affection as Griffin"

"So you ordered Griffin to stay away from Michael because…?"

"We value the most eMichael for granted I don’t think he ever will"

Nora looked at the card before tearing it into pieces and throwing it up in the air like confetti

"I love you, you terrifyingly brilliant man" Nora threw her arht would be a quick, playful hug But Søren pulled her close and held her tight to hiht it almost scared her He buried his face in her hair and inhaled