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“No, you never,” he interrupted coolly “Never once risked your pride by saying those words back to me You keep this place as your escape hatch rather than co withit” It wasn’t just te him now, nor was it just pain It was the truth “I want all,” he said flatly “Or I want nothing”

She wouldn’t panic He wouldn’t ht run “What exactly does that mean?”

“It h”

“It’s not just sex You know—”

“No, I don’t The choice is yours now—it alas But now you’ll have to come to me”

“Ultimatums just piss me off”

“That’s a pity” He gave her one long last look “Good-bye, Eve”

“You can’t just walk—”

“Oh yes” And he didn’t look back “I can”

Her mouth dropped open when she heard the door sla off the jewel around her neck Then she began to vibrate With fury, of course

, she told herself and ripped the precious diamond off to toss it on the counter

He thought she would go crawling after hi that into the next

She closed her eyes against a painthan a laser strike Who the hell is Eve Dallas? she wondered And isn’t that the core of it all?

She blocked it out What choice did she have? The job caood cop, she was nothing She was as e broken and traumatized in a dark alley in Dallas

She could bury herself in work The de in Commander Whitney’s office, she was only a cop with murder on her hands