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God, she ue" Her ently as the limo pulled into the back lot of the restaurant "Perhaps you should just talk to him"

She saw the Tahoe then, the sheriff’s emblem emblazed on the door as it opened and Zeke stepped out

He was dressed in jeans again, that daray cotton shirt The sun blazed around hiolden, his expressionas the car drew to a stop

"Just talk to hiently then "It doesn’t hurt to talk"

The chauffeur opened the door and she stepped out slowly, aware of the door closing behind her and seconds later the vehicle pulling away

Zeke leaned against the front of the Tahoe, his ar

"Took you long enough," he growled, his voice dark, deep His face was alh the world had crashed in upon him as well

She pulled her keys from her pocket, turned, andher? She could feel hi her She felt like a rabbit beneath the regard of a hungry wolf

She saw hih away that she could tell he was deliberately keeping distance between theation over?" she asked as she shoved the key into the door and stepped inside

"It’s over They rounded the final ht after Jonesy was killed They have all the evidence they need to lock theue nodded "Fro they didn’t have much of a chance for success anyway A bunch of crazy oldfor a war"

"That about sums it up" His voice was clipped, cool as he stepped into the apartment behind her and closed the door "But these crazy old coots were serous"

She nodded Yeah, she’d heard that, too They’d killed a lot of good men and women and been responsible for even ?" she asked

Zeke blew out a hard breath "It’s been hard on hi the Walker boys It shook hi it from him Makes sense why she ran off to her sisters after they were killed though She was devastated"

"She loved theue turned and stared at hi room

"She cared a hell of a lot anyway" He shook his head, his expression heavy "She wasn’t aware anyone was looking for her She thought Joe had killed Jai care of her though That’s the ireed Like her father had tried to take care of her, and she had refused to allow it Her fa their support, and nothing helped the pain; no one could ease it

She stared back at Zeke now and sed at the lu since she had felt his arhts she had cried into her pillow, aching, hurting

"Do you hatebefore her, tall and so very arrogant, as though he were daring her to strike out at hih he expected it

"Would you hate me?" she asked hiht or wrong in how she felt Should she punish hirimaced heavily "I’d paddle your da like that on me," he finally adue There wouldn’t have been a night that I wasn’t trying to get into your bed anyway"

"I can’t paddle your ass," she said, her voice thickening with the e it

"What am I supposed to do, Zeke, wait until the next time you’re worried for ain? How do I knohen you’re co someone?"

His jaw clenched furiously "You sound like Shane now He hasn’t spoken toon the past ten years He’s pouting in Louisville like a child because I didn’t tell hi on"

"Because you could have died while he was gone," she snapped "Because he loves you, Zeke How do you think it makes us feel? To know you’d push us away so darowled back "I’d hope you’d understand how iue, do you think I wanted to die knowing if I had told you how I felt that you would have grieved worse? Or if I was arrested and charged for a murder I committed as a child, do you think I wanted you to hold on to ive you?"

"And that’s acceptable?" she cried "Fine, Zeke, let’s turn the table Would you accept it?"

"Fuck no!" he yelled back "You’re mine, damn you No matter what"

"My God, listen to you" She was in his face, aled tattoo in her veins "Listen to how arrogant you are! Why should I accept it?

Why shouldn’t you belong to me, too, Zeke? Do you think for one damned minute I’ll only take you when you’re safe? God, what is that, a weekend out of the fucking year?"

His eyes narrowed "You’ll take me, period, every da fool I was stupid I was a duh to want to protect her So shoot er firing in her blood, she yelled the words back at hier that he would stay away fro her he loved her That he would wait until she was angry, until she wanted to kick hi it

"You little hellion" Aaze and filled his face "You stubborn little witch You won’t even say you love me, will you?"

"Why should I?" A pout formed on her lips as she whirled away froht he was going to let her get away that easily, she rong She had hoped she rong Prayed she was