“Next o'er his books his eyes began to roll,In pleasing memory of all he stole.”

“He rolled his eyes. "Fiction lies for the truth.”

“His blue eyes glittered with amusement. “Naïve, darlin'," He murmured. "I stole you a long time ago. Round the time you f**kin' stole me.”

“I'm part of the package, kitten. Your bodyguard, babysitter and tattle-tale, all rolled into one." Flashing his teeth at me, he added, "Aren't you pleased?”

“Damn it all to hell," he muttered, banging his socket wrench on the metal cart behind him. "Because," he began, shifting his eyes over at me, "because you took his word over mine.”

“In all this time, he [London] has not woken. He needs someone, Tanda. Perhaps you are that someone." She gazed at me with uncertainty and regret, but there was love for London as well, even after all these years. She nodded, taking the chair at his bedside while I stole into the hall. It was for her that he finally opened his eyes.”