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Alanna thought she saw a s She looked away so he couldn't see what she was thinking "But if I agree to marry you, you will help my father?"

"When youwithemphasis

"If my father is ruined, Rolt Matthews, it will be your fault, because you could have saved hier now

"No," he denied calmly "The fault will be yours because I made the offer and you refused I'm not to blame for what happens—you are l barely know your father What difference does it make to me whether he eventually finds it difficult to hold his head up aht be concerned But as a mere acquaintance, hardly"

His arrogance filled her with rage In a lightning arc the open palm of her hand struck at his co of contact had barely occurred when the guilty hand was caught in the steel vice of his fingers The line of his jaas tight and ominous

"You will marry me, Alanna You have no choice," he said in a deadly quiet voice

"Let go ofto twist her hand free

The pressure increased by scant degrees until Alanna was drawn closer to hith was such that she knew he could easily snap the slender bones of her wrist Caution dictated that his streak of ruthlessness was so wide he ht do it

She stopped struggling, her breathing deep and agitated froer and frustration With a defiant toss of her head, she glared her bitter dislike of him into his face

The roughly hewn features were very close as the enigrip on her wrists had arched her back, pressing her hips against the hardness of his thighs The harsh line of his mouth thinned into a cruel smile

"I won't let you go In tiant voice carried the ring of prophecy

"No!" Alanna gasped

Hisher free hand against his chest But there was still the pain of her captured wrist to contend with and she gained a little distance The moist war and twisting of her head succeeded in eluding his kiss until her chin was caught by iron talons

Her lips were ground against her teeth in savage possession Alanna resisted, fighting his assault with every ounce of her strength More pain shot through her arainst his length Her pulse thundered in her ears

As her strength was drained by the inescapability of his embrace, her resistance beca of his ht a lethal tenderness that destroyed her defenses