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Bourne released a long breath "She’s furious withto unwrap the length of linen he had wrapped around his knuckles before the fight

"What did you do?" Chase asked

There were a hundred reasons why she was furious But only one mattered, and it came quick and clear, like a blow from one of Temple’s massive fists "I’reement from his partners, so when no one spoke, he wondered if, perhaps, they’d left him alone in the room He lifted the piece of beef from his eye and looked up, only to discover that Chase, Te him "What?" he asked

Chase found words first "Only that in the five years I’ve known you--"

"Much longer for me," Temple interjected

"--I’ve never known you to adaze froain "Sod off" He returned the steak to his eye and leaned back again "I can’t give her what she wants"

"Which is?"

It was easier to speak to thee A normal life"

"Why not?" Chase prodded

"All I succeed at is sin and vice She is the opposite of those things She ant more She ant" He trailed off

Love

The one thing he could not buy her The one thing he could not risk giving her

Chase’s papers rustled "And therein, the fear of Alles"

Bourne stiffened "Not fear"

"Of course not," Chase revised in a tone laced with huiving her the things she wants It’s being the husband she deserves"

Damn hi hith and her spirit It wasn’t supposed to be like this It was supposed to be easy and clean--a quick abduction, an easyof ways that served the about his wife seeers, feeling the ache in the knuckles froht "It’s not that easy"

"It never is, omen," Chase continued "You can say all you like that you’ll toss her away after your revenge is meted out, but you shan’t be able to Not entirely You’ll still be oes with Alles," Te

Michael cursed him wickedly "She doesn’t need Alles for the life she wants I’ll give it to her Everything she wants"

"Everything?" Chase asked Michael did not reply "It’s no longer all for the land and the revenge, is it? You care for the lady"

He should not He had lost everything he had ever cared for He had ruined everything good that he had ever touched His care was a harbinger of her destruction

But he defied any man in Britain to spend a day with his wife and not care for her

"At the very least, he wants her," Teht would tempt a saint"

"Did tempt a saint," Chase replied "Cross escorted her hoh Michael at the words "Cross won’t touch her"