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So about his voice It had started to chew on her nerves, this feeling About his words About what he called me

"My lord," Burke said tentatively, "when you awoke in the Ferrari, were you injured?"

Lucan opened his jacket "It appears someone slashed my chest

"Jamys did that," Sa back and forth in her head My lady Why were they so important?

"Sauy who used a lot of pet names, but when they were alone he’d call her ‘love’ And when he was angry, he always addressed her as ‘madam’ but occasionally he’d use--

Burke cleared his throat "My lady, perhaps I should--"

"That’s it" She felt a fierce satisfaction as she glared at Lucan "You called me ‘my lady’"

"Did I?" He didn’t seeine that would be because you are my lady"

"You didn’t say ‘ether You made it into one word Say it now" When he didn’t, she stepped forward and slapped hiet between them

"Stay out of this, Burke" She saw Lucan’s eyes turn to chrooddamn word"

Her lover folded his ar slowness "Does that satisfy you, madam? Or would you care to hear me recite more niceties?"

"You say it with a short i ‘Mih-lady’" A strange sensation churned in her stoht be sick "Son of a bitch"

His jaw tightened "Oh, that I a?"

Of course, he didn’t get it He had noit "That’s not how you said it on the beach You saide" She turned to the tresora "Burke, in all the years you’ve served Lucan, have you ever heard hi e?"

"I cannot say that I have," Burke admitted "Perhaps if he were to ie it"

"When did I call you that, Samantha? In Palm Beach?" Lucan demanded "Were you there when I wrecked the Ferrari?"

"Burke, whoever did this didn’t think about pronunciation It ca" A laugh escaped her as her knees turned to jelly and she had to catch the edge of his desk to brace herself

Lucan began to reach out to her and then seemed to think better of it "Burke, clear out the club and tell the hold"

"We have visitors, my lord," the tresora reminded hiuard"

When Burke left, Lucan came to stand beside her "Samantha, obviously we have much to discuss, but I want you to know that I only ht, I was so weak I could hardly walk"

"That’s because tonight at the beach I shot you with the tranq gun Twice" She leaned against him "It wasn’t you You didn’t lose five hours, Lucan They were stolen from you"

His arm came up around her "By whom?"

"The same bastard who I think took control of your , and as she flipped it open, she looked up at him "Someone who says mee-lady" Into the phone she said, "Brown"

"Saot the guy who htened "Who collared him?"

"No one He turned himself in"