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She’d been exploring those tunnels for years Finding different exits out into the city and the forest beyond The biggest jackpot had been discovering the one that came out close to the Bjorn castle These woods were filled with traps and warnings to stay away There had to be a reason they guarded their privacy so closely And she wanted to knohat it was

“Today’s the day We’re going in”

Roger squeaked and took several steps back, burying himself under the shrubbery

“Coo in on my own, are you?”

All she could see were his nose and whiskers

“You’re a big wimp, you know that? You’re supposed to be my backup My partner in crime”

He didn’tany of the gold anyway”

Okay, so he probably wasn’tas he was a rat, but she was feeling some hesitation about her plan It had seemed so easy when she’d come up with it in the safety of her bedroom Sneak up to the castle Climb the wall Pick the lock on the door Walk on in and steal soold Done

Siht?

As her brother liked to say, the simple plans were the best Get too elaborate and you usually ended up having to shoot someone

Of course, he always smiled after he said that Which led her to think he didn’t think shooting someone was too much of a hardship Like she’d said, Carlin ired differently than most people

Sometimes he terrified her Other times he pissed her off But she always loved him Damn that was kind of screwed up

“All right then Stay here I’

ll be back in a couple of hours—with the gold”

She needed a new life One away froer she lived in Just a si pool, spa, and a cabana boy with rippling abs

Was that too much to ask for?

Not that she’d knohat to do with the cabana boy She wasn’t exactly experienced At anything There wasn’t a h to try and touch Carlin Blake’s baby sister She enty-two years old and she’d never even been kissed

Shaking off those depressing thoughts—she could worry over the sad state of her non-existent love life later, Gigi moved silently towards the castle And her freedom

Garret Bjorn was bored out of his mind