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Arnold gives a disapproving bark as he tries again to get me to run, but I just ruffle his fur, pet his velvet ears, and say, “Sorry, buddy. One of the guys will take you later.”

I kneel and look him in the eye. “And I promise I’ll take you for a run tomorrow. Extra long.”

He huffs air but doesn’t try to pull the lead again.

“Good boy. I wish the world was as good as you.”

I might not have a place in such a world, but that would be fine.

A few seconds later, an SUV pulls to a stop next to the curb outside the house. The back door opens and Lucie climbs out.

We make eye contact and she freezes. The SUV moves slowly into the street, no doubt to give Vincent a report on me, the cowardly fuck.

It’s right then that I decide I hate him. I stop just short of wishing I never entered into the agreement. I can’t wish that. I’d be working harder, pointlessly, and his name gets me places, makes me the kind of introductions I want without months of work.

And it gets me Lucie.

But the man?

I definitely hate him.

“Darling,” I say, letting the sarcasm drip, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve been out.”

“No.” I place hand to heart and earn a reproachful growl from Benadog Arnold. “Really?”

Her mouth thins, but she blushes and guilt shines everywhere. “I’m allowed out, right?”

“Depends on where you went.”

She hesitates, then turns, marches up the stoop, and unlocks the door before disappearing inside. Arnold growls at me, but I ignore him as two more cars pull up. Declan gets out of one of them and a guard steps out of the second one. He doesn’t even look at me, just heads down the street to check things out.

Clive’s in the driver’s seat of the car Dec jumped out of, andmaybe it’s all overkill as there’s another guard down the street, but I want twenty-four seven surveillance of the area.

Posting an obvious guard is good in certain circumstances, as is having one in the house, but I like to constantly have the street watched in order to get a long-term feel of my surroundings.

I’m finally calm enough to give in to Arnold’s pull on the leash to head inside. We head in and I unclip the leash. Arnold doesn’t waste any time leaping onto Declan.

And I go upstairs to find my Lucie.

I close the door of the bedroom behind me. “Where were you?”

“Out.”

I sigh. “Come the fuck here.”

For a moment, I don’t think she’s going to do it, and if it was anyone else, I’d be pissed the fuck off. But with her? It generates fingers along my cock excitement. Disobedience suits her, even if it flares for just a few fleeting seconds.

“And if I don’t?”

“Do you want to find out what’ll happen?”

Something hot sparks in her eyes and my cock throbs. “Depends on the punishment.”

“Really? I’ll file that away. Come. Here.”

This time she does and she presses against me. I take her mouth in a deep, hard kiss, my tongue twisting with hers. The passion and heat the connection brings comes in like a storm, and behind it, I taste something like desperation.