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Return of the Warrior
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Royal Lockdown
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Julienne hummed an old Cajun dance tune to herself as she cracked eggs into a bowl. Outside, the sultry warmth of another day was building. She had heard people complain about the steamy Louisiana heat. But she loved it. Loved being back at Belle Vista.

Then the morning calm was shattered by a shout.

She knew instantly that it was Chase. And it sounded as though he was in some kind of trouble out in the swampy area beyond the house.

Lord, she'd been feeling so at home. Now she remembered the dangers of this place. What if he'd come upon a gator or a poisonous snake, or even a bear? All of them had been known to venture near the house at one time or another.

Flinging open the kitchen door, she looked wildly around but didn't spot him immediately.

"Chase?"

"I'm fine. Don't come out here."

Ignoring the warning, she crossed the porch, shading her eyes as she followed the sound of his voice. Finally she spotted his head and shoulders through a screen of foliage about 50 feet away. With no thought for her own safety, she pounded across the porch, then sprinted down the back steps. Crossing the yard at a dead run, she made for the tangle of greenery beyond the house.

He shot her a warning look. "Get back."

"No." Plowing ahead she found him hunkered down in the dirt.

As she drew up beside him, he looked down toward the ground. When she followed his gaze, she saw that the toe of his work boot was caught in the massive jaws of a steel animal trap.

On a gasp, she knelt beside him, staring in dumb-eyed horror at the wicked-looking teeth that bit into the leather. "Chase! Are you all right?"

"Yeah. But I'd be better if you went back to the house."

"Not until I know your foot is all right."

He sighed. "It is. But I'm damn lucky I have on these steel-toed shoes — or this thing would be embedded in my foot right now." His features were set in grim lines as he studied the mechanism. Then he sprang the catch and began to ease the saw-toothed jaws open. Once his boot was free, he untied the lace and eased it off, carefully inspecting his foot.

Julienne held her breath until she saw that the sharp points had missed his flesh.

"Let's get out of here," he grated. "There could be other traps like this one out here — and Lord knows what else. I don't want you outside again until I make sure the area is secure."

Despite the heat, she shivered. She'd already walked around the house several times, inspecting the state of the property. It was only by dumb luck that she hadn't come this way.

When he slung his arm around her shoulder as he led her back to the house, she pressed herself tightly to his side.

They climbed the porch together, and he carefully shut the door, then turned to face her.

"Will you promise me you'll stay inside until I check the rest of the property?"

"I can't hide in here."

"Do you know how I'd feel if something happened to you?" He stopped and swallowed. "Like I'd lost a major part of myself."

"Oh. Chase. That's the way I feel. If something happened to you, I'd lose everything."

"I'm here. I'm fine! I'll be here for as long as you want me."

Though the words were uttered with an underlying passion, he stood unmoving.

To be continued...



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