rudent to not dismiss the political positioning of this considering her f

al posi

terested in during those youth-flushed days at university had been her beneath him, her sinful lips,

ep regret when her true n

al posi

shook free of the miasma, tunnelling through to take centre stage

hether there was an argument to be made

circle of trusted aides and advisers. Often the man wore bot

your penchant for mental chess

'Some situations need a definitive check or checkmate. I'm

os

logists for those too weak to

ble set of events to rest once and for all so he could pursue another subject his advisors were feverishly i

prowled from his desk to the far side of his impressively

ing man who'd ruled with an equally unforgiving hand. A man who'd never given quarte

ir's mind? Or would he see it as another display of the gross err

. 'Sire? Do you have

dn't asked for nor desired this particular creature to wander into his lair. But wo

o such slurs had dared crossed the lips of friends or foes alike because he'd lived an exemplary

he incident chafed, like a burr he'd been

o

answer. He could not

pointments. And bring L

hadn't seen in a dozen years. Precisely because he'

y shaped woman was ushered into his presence, was at once dis

edly for days. Her pale peach knee-length dress was smudged with dirt and the dark gold hair she'd once worn in t

first observation notwithstanding-Lauren Winchester hadn't l

rue womanhood, her heart-shaped face with more pronounced cheekbones drawi