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that would go over well at least. Both those gifts and the others I d picked up were still un-
wrapped. I guessed I should have had it done in the store.
After Earl and Dan moved on to join Stevenson, the float passed us at a majestic pace,
the building wobbling on its wagon so I was sure Stevenson had to be holding his breath,
hoping it wouldn t topple over the way that I knew my residents wished the real thing would.
Gargoyles. Fuck me.
After another long interval, I caught a scattering of applause and looked over my shoulder
to see the next one. It was a mock-up of our yarn shop with the newly repaired window. Right
away I looked to Tall. This had to be his idea, commemorating the vandalism that had led to
our first meeting.
I saw Edith give him a half hug as she passed him, and Shane high-fived him. It was all
over the building how he had moved in with me, and our nearest neighbors had probably
heard him us moaning every night on my too-small bed.
God, the things he let me do to him. Last night after Joe had gone to bed, as if to make up
for the constraint that had fallen between us, Tall had produced velvet handcuffs with little
reindeer dangling from them. Like Joe, he really got into the spirit of the season so that I d
promised both of them to go tree shopping. Maybe I d put it off, but technically it was still
Christmas so&
But those cuffs. I hadn t been laughing anymore at how absurd they looked when he d
asked me to attach them to the metal rails on the bed and I d found out just how effective they
were, him splayed open, moaning as my mouth took a thousand years to kiss every part of
his thighs, from the inside of his knee which made him tug at his bonds as I suckled to the
sensitive skin between his sex and his leg.
Tall had strained in his bonds, head thrown back, pain-pleasure written on his face. Your
book may have got mixed reviews which by the way, I don t understand since I love it but
you get a solid five stars for what you do to me as my lover, Tall had whispered.
Is that right? I d put my mouth to his opening for the first time, wanting to do this for him.
I d spread him wide with my palms, and while he shivered at every lash of my tongue.
Something about the feel of me there made him especially crazy, so he d been begging me,
Master, please.
I loved fucking him when he called me that. I had held his serene blue eyes until he closed
them tightly, as if needing to hide from me. It was a first from my confident Tall, and I instinct-
ively hadn t liked it.
Open your eyes, I d demanded, wanting all of him.
He d obeyed me, but the look he revealed had caught at my chest. He was vulnerable. He
had crossed some kind of line, and he d been vulnerable.
You re safe with me, I d whispered, wishing I knew what was troubling him. I had kissed
him, moving back and forth in the hot cradle he provided. You re mine, and I ll protect you.
I know. His legs had stretched even wider, and he d shuddered as my cock lodged deep,
brushing his prostate. Next time maybe we can hook me up with a spreader bar, cuff my
ankles, and pull up my legs. He d licked his lips. I want to be totally helpless for you.
Damn! My balls had tightened, and I d felt that tingling in my lower back that signaled I
wouldn t last long. I took his cock in my hand, stroking it. I hoped to God I d be enough for
him, that this brownstone would be enough, because if he returned downtown where he be-
longed, I wouldn t& handle it well.
Seems I d crossed a line too.
He could hurt me, easy.
I d worked his cock, watching the expressions on his face until it suddenly set, his head
falling back as he spurted on his stomach, milking me, tight around me.
My glory hole. I d caught his hair and tugged it hard even as he was coming, seeing my-
self reflected in his enlarged pupils. My glory hole to fuck whenever I want.
Sam! The last of his cum had hit my chin as I kissed him brutally, as I filled the condom
buried inside him.
Isn t that right, Sam? Miranda was saying.
Crap. I blinked, shaking off the erotic spell. I was glad I was wearing a heavy parka, con-
cealing my lower body as I looked up at one of my favorite residents, tuning in to what she d
been discussing with Tall. Right. Sales had been good this holiday season. Joe had come up
with the idea of packaging up yarn and patterns focusing on introducing people to knitting,
and we d done brisk business with the kits because what set them apart were the beautiful
hand-painted threads for scarves, hats, and vests that were surprisingly easy to create.
Tall was giving me a little smirk as if he knew exactly what I d been thinking about. He
kissed Miranda s cheek. See you at the tree-lighting ceremony later, Miranda and Sam, he
said, excusing himself.
Joe was watching me and I knew he needed to hear about Audra, but at that moment, my
BlackBerry buzzed.
Stay here with Edith, I told him, wheels spinning under my hands as I picked up speed.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, I looked up at the float for Dark Captive, which towered over me in
the dim space, waiting like a bridesmaid for its turn at holiday glory. Gunnar and Jia were still
positioned in a charged romantic moment, papier-mch faces looking a little stilted close up
but a pretty good approximation of the front cover of my book, the hair from Gunnar s blond
wig moving with the cold breeze.
Heart thudding, my hand tightened on my handgun. Less than two years ago, my life had
gone from being whole to blood hitting a broken windshield, to the vehicle that carried me and
my men somersaulting.
A shadow entered the cavernous storage space. Shit. It was Joe.
I swerved the chair from under the float, going to intercept him, but I saw his gaze light on
Audra, gray head bent as she used a cane to steady herself while she slowly climbed the
steps that led to the top of the float. It flashed me back to other memories, of watching her
take part in this holiday ritual through my childhood and adolescence.
Joe had come here looking for that Audra.
I was almost to Joe when someone stepped from behind him, a club gripped in one hand.
Stay where you are or I will shoot! I lifted the gun. Joe, come here to me. Do it now, I
ordered, my voice sounding laughably calm.
A ski mask jerked in my direction and I met terrified eyes. Audra s would-be assailant
made a desperate dash for freedom to the back of the storage space.
Freeze! Shane yelled, leaping out from behind the other float.
What& ? Joe whispered, faltering. Audra! He ran for his great-aunt.
Joe! I yelled.
The Bruiser shoved some empty barrels in Shane s path, making the Irish cop stumble.
Nowhere to go, nowhere to go. I could almost feel the beat of fear in the man. Then he moved
toward Joe.
I fired.
The Bruiser caught his thigh, crying out, blood spraying, ruby drops hitting the floor, the
flash of white bone.
Just like that stifling day in Afghanistan, I felt helpless even as I charged him, hitting his
faltering body with my chair so we were both flung to the ground.
Audra tossed her cane aside, suddenly much taller. She jumped from the float, yanking
Joe into her arms.
The Bruiser hit my shoulder, struggling with me, but my greater upper body strength came
in handy now. I remembered that my aunt had been unconscious, that he had beat her even
after she was unconscious, and my fist hit his face and he gave a cry muffled by his mask and
I hit him again.
Shane dragged me off him.
Sweaty, panting, I yanked the chair close so I could climb back into it.
Shane was calling for an ambulance while the Bruiser curled over the chilly asphalt floor of
the storage space, holding his leg and sobbing. Shane cuffed our man and then looked at me.
Are you all right? Hell!
I swallowed, feeling a little sick. Yeah, I whispered.
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