17/03/2026 11:58

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You must be very distracted not to have sensed me sooner. But Jean-Claude was, in a way. His slender white hand appeared on my shoulder, a spill of white lace around it, and a flare of black velvet sleeve framing that lace. I reached out to Richard.

I doubted Richard had thought about safety considerations when he chose the seat. It threw me off balance, and he used that momentary stumble to swing me in against his body, my arm behind my back with his hand still on my wrist. Never had anyone share their books with him. I could feel it, Nathaniel, feel the power of it.