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“Legally” His gaze captured ally, Ari I’ll find a way I just … I need you to trust me Give me some time”

“Dane” Emotion welled fast and furious I set my drink aside and crossed to where he stood in front of the fireplace I hadn’t experiencedmoments in my life but the ones I had seemed to all be centered around this nificant than all the others “You’ll make a promise you won’t ever, ever break? No matter what?”

He stared down at ive up his inherent need to do whatever necessary when it ca his assets

“Dane,” I urged “It has to be this way Otherwise…” God, these words were going to gut one Done No et you ever knew me”

More tears spilled down my cheeks Christ, I’d already faced the cold, hard reality of what it was like to be separated fro loss, and for the life of ain Yet I had to draw that line I’d thought of earlier I had to know that when he assured uy it was true

“Please,” I said “If Vale would have pulled his gun on you, that would have been different He didn’t and you couldn’t stop…”

I shookpart about all of this Dane was justified in attacking ahorrified over the violence and the lengths to which Dane would go to protect me

This hat I’d mulled over since I’d relayed the situation to Kyle, a semi-impartial audience

There had to be a compromise, a balance Justice was just so damn tricky to achieve with this scenario

I said, “You and Auy who’d kidnapped me—I was safe at that point You still have to worry about the Lux, but if you have a legal way to coe with each other, right?”

He scowled

I simmered

We stared

Endless seconds ticked by until he finally lifted his arlass to the wet bar

I stood where I was, riveted, as he sauntered toward me