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“You’re mine now”

“I’ve been yours since the first time ere in this alley”

He sal and shit”

“I’ to al”

He shrugged “They are in my world”

“Your world and reality are very far apart Also, like Angelo said, you have shit to take care of You can’t leave right now, and neither can I”

“Joe, you can’t keep working soin as many hours as you did when you were a cop You have other people to help you now”

I ran a hand over my hair I needed to tell Devil about the letters Donaldson had sent e I’d been the lead in the investigation that had led to hi sentenced, and he blamed me for the time he’d spent in jail Now he’d escaped, and I was sure he intended to follow through on his threats, but it really wasn’t the time to share that inforht conversation “The longer Donaldson stays free, the greater the chance he’ll kill again”

Devil sighed “Fine, but we’re going soon I’ll only let you put this off for so long”

“Maybe after the first of the year—”

Devil growled and wrapped his hand aroundI want to take you away so I can enjoy you like the Christ the chance to have a holiday honeymoon”

“See? I knew you wanted a Christ, but now it’s a Christmas honeymoon”

“And so much better because it’ll just be me and you”

“And your enoro?”

Devil grinned “That’s not the only thing about me that’s enormous”

I scowled at his awful joke “I’ll see when I can get away”

“Just remember I’m not a patient man”

7

Devil

After teeks of watching Joe exhaust hi him daily to coh Angelo and I had finished up the urgent business we’d been working on, so I’d cornered Lucien in his office

His eyes narrowed as soon as he sawI don’t want to hear”

There was no point in denying it “I’one for ten days”

“One week is enough You know Pop will be co home for the holidays You and your new husband are not weaseling out of all the family plans”