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“You need to seal the deal, so to speak You know a e isn’t finalized until it’s consummated”

“So you want ht, is that your point?”

He puts his fork down next to his plate, fixing me with a cold stare

“No need to be crude”

“Let’s call a spade a spade You want irl, despite the fact that we hate each other, despite the fact that she tried to kill me yesterday, because you don’t want your precious alliance to fall apart”

“Exactly,” he says, picking up his fork once rape out of his Waldorf salad “And don’t forget, this isn’t my alliance It benefits you more than anyone”

“Right,” I say bitterly “It’s been a real joy so far”

I stalk upstairs, stripping offthe shower as hot as I can stand it I take a good long ti the water pound down on my shoulders

I’m aware that I’m supposed to “make Aidato be in the mood for that after I half-drowned her I’ve never been one for grand roestures, but even under thecounts as foreplay

In fact, I doubt she’ll even agree to go to dinner with me Which is fine by me She probably eats with her hands She’d only embarrass me if I took her someplace nice

Even after I hear Aida co the hot shower She can stand out there and shiver her ass off for all I care

I can hear herbecause I’ve been in here so long that the glass enclosure of the shower is opaque with steam

So I’m startled when Aida pushes her way inside, completely naked

“Hey!” I say “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Showering, obviously,” she says “Some asshole pulled me into the pool”