Spotlight: Professor’s Kiss by Sienna Blake

Danny O’Donaghue.
Indie rock god.
Lady killer.
The devil with midnight hair and blue-flame eyes.

After six years I thought the pain of what he’d done to me had faded.
Guess not.
Because I’m standing in this crowded lecture hall of the most prestigious music school in Ireland, staring at the person who healed me when I was broken. Right before he shattered me beyond repair.
And I still feel everything.

My ex-best friend.
My first love.
My tormentor.

…is now my professor.

Excerpt

“Why do you hate me so much?” I demanded. “We used to be…friends. Best friends.”
More than friends.
I swallowed as the tender memories rose up in my mind, pricking the backs of my eyelids. “Why pick on me?”
I thought I saw a flash of pain in his eyes before it was smothered by a smirk. “I like to watch you squirm. You go all red in the face like a tomato when you get mad.”
That’s why he called me Dearg. Because of the way I blushed with my body. The way my pale skin was like a mood ring, broadcasting my anger, my embarrassment, my arousal.
“Why start that rumor?”
“Hypothetically,” he continued, “even if I was the one who started that rumor, you should be thanking me.”
“Thanking you?” My eyes almost bulged out of my head. I shoved at his chest. The asshole barely moved. I barely made a dent in his rock-hard muscles.
I was going to punch him, right there in his precious rock star junk. He better not want kids one day.
“You are fucking delusional.” I shoved him again.
This time he caught my wrist and spun me around, slamming me up against one of the lockers. The air whooshed out of me and not just because he was crushing me between the lockers and his hard body.
“Yeah, Dearg, you should be on your fucking knees thanking me with that pretty little mouth of yours around my dick.”
God. The sheer crudeness of his words. It should make me cringe. To slap him across the face. Instead, everything in my lower belly ached, my lips parted and all I could do was blink up at him.
“The pool for your v-card has been cancelled,” he continued. “That cunt will leave you alone now instead of trying like a fucking chump to pretend to be a good boyfriend while just wanting to get in your panties for money and bragging rights. So, yeah, you should be fucking thanking me.”
“You’re trying to tell me that you told everyone I was a god damn lesbian to help me?”
His lip lifted up. “Yeah. Say thank you.”
He shifted back, just an inch of space, just enough to allow him to drop his towel. He dropped it. Right in front of me. No shame.
I glanced down before I could stop myself, half mortified, half curiosity raging like a storm.
His dick was hard. Long and thick and…perfect.
“Go on, Dearg. What are you going to do with it?” he taunted in a low voice.
“I…”
Grab it.
Lick it.
Suck it.
Pull it inside me.
His arms came up beside my head and he leaned in, trapping me, his hard cock hot and hard against my belly. Dear God. I was going to combust. Or pass out from lack of oxygen.
“Or,” his lips traced my cheekbone, sending hot and cold shivers throughout my body, “maybe you really are a lesbian.”
Rage flooded over me, temporarily overriding lust. I shoved him back with both hands and he stepped back laughing.
Bastard. He didn’t want me. He was taunting me. Teasing me. Pushing me to breaking point.
He almost won.
And I almost gave in.
Stupid me, I almost gave in.

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About the Author

Sienna Blake is a storyteller & inkslnger, wordspinner of love stories with grit, and alter ego of a USA Today Bestselling Author.

She loves all things that make her heart race — rollercoasters, thrillers and rowdy unrestrained sex. She likes to explore the darker side of human nature in her writing.

If she told you who she really was, she’d have to kill you. Because of her passion for crime and forensics, she’d totally get away with your murder.

Sign up for my newsletter and get Paper Dolls, a full-length romantic suspense as a thank you gift. You'll also be the first to hear about new releases, sales and giveaways - www.subscribepage.com/SiennaBlake

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Spotlight: Must Love Babies by Lynnette Austin

This baby's not the only one in need of a cuddle…

Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He's in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His sister's been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything and take care of his five-month-old nephew. That's the end of the bachelor lifestyle.

Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she sees that Brant's in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a beautiful man…?

Excerpt

If Molly Stiles had been a vintage car, Brant Wylder would have known exactly what to do with her. She wasn’t, and he didn’t.

But a man could look.

“Hey, you still with us?” his elder brother, Tucker, asked.

“Yeah.” Brant tugged at the annoying bow tie.

“Good, because we have a job to do, and so do you,” Tucker said.

“Understood.” Brant met his brother’s gaze. “Chill. This isn’t one of your Marine reconnaissance missions.”

“No, it’s not. Which means no sniper’s waiting to take a potshot at you, so stop whining.”

“I’m not whining,” he groused. “This wedding’s a waste of time. I’d rather go with you to pick up that car.”

“We’ve got it covered.” His younger brother, Gaven, slipped into the rental car. “You’ll check out those places we spotted yesterday, right? See if one of them will work for us?”

“Absolutely.” His answer was automatic, his attention on the petite bridesmaid he’d escorted down the aisle. The woman was so drop-dead gorgeous, she made his palms sweat.

“It’s important,” Tucker reminded him.

“Yep.” Brant eyed his watch. “That plane’s gonna leave with or without you two.”

Gaven started the car’s engine.

Riding shotgun, Tucker rested a tattooed arm on his open window. “Sure glad it’s dark. Anybody sees us in this four-door, plain-vanilla, sorry excuse for a car, our reputation’s shot.”

Brant laughed. “Drive safe.” He tapped the car’s roof, then took several steps back as it headed down the winding, oak-lined drive.

The taillights disappeared, and he was alone.

Well, as alone as he could be with a hundred and some other people.

Resigned, Brant turned back to the wedding reception. Because the temperature was in the balmy midsixties, unusual for January even here in Georgia’s Low Country, Magnolia House’s massive front door stood open. Light, conversation, and laughter spilled onto the restored antebellum home’s front porch.

At the bar, he ordered a club soda with a twist of lime and, popping cashews, chatted with a friend of the groom’s. All the while, he kept the brunette front and center on his radar.

She threaded her way through the small clusters of guests, paused to speak to several, then plucked a grilled shrimp kebab and a napkin from a passing waiter’s tray. Raising the appetizer to her Kewpie-doll lips, she headed outside. Alone.

Brant set his nearly untouched drink on the bar and nodded to his new pal. “You decide you want us to do something with that ’72 Chevy Chevelle, give me a call.”

Casually, he crossed the room and stepped into the night. Molly had wandered to the edge of the large front yard and stood in a pool of moonlight. The two of them had bumped into each other twice now, and she stirred up feelings in him—feelings he had no time for, yet itched to explore.

For such a petite thing, the lady had curves. Shiny, coffee-colored hair curled halfway down her back, and his fingers practically begged to mess it up. She smelled sexy as sin on a dark night and all but made a guy drool. Her pale pink, bee-stung lips cried out to be kissed…but instinct warned him Molly could be dangerous. Very dangerous.

Brant ran a finger under his bow tie again and swore beneath his breath.

He felt restless. Last night, he’d driven through town a little after eight. It had been quiet, buttoned-down, and locked up tight. The carpet rolled up early in Misty Bottoms, Georgia. He could live with that.

Good thing, because if things worked out right, he’d be spending a lot more time here. But right now? Instead of hanging around Magnolia House in this monkey suit, he could be flying off to Texas with his brothers or at their garage in Tennessee in his old jeans, replacing a clutch in the ’48 Chevy they were restoring. Heck, for what the daddy of today’s bride had shelled out, Brant figured he could rescue a whole fleet of cars.

Music drifted on the soft night air and entwined with the scent of roses and jasmine. Muted voices rose and fell. He slipped a hand into the pocket of his tux pants and, feet crossed, leaned against one of the massive columns. Life had been bumpy lately, but at this moment, it was pretty darn good.

A full moon added its magic to the star-filled Southern sky. As he picked out several constellations, he imagined even the seated queen, Cassiopeia, danced tonight with Orion, the hunter. No doubt every single woman here had hearts, flowers, and wedding rings on the brain. It tended to make a single man nervous.

Even so, he’d see if he could sweet-talk himself into a dance or two with sexy-as-all-get-out Molly.

At his previous wedding here, she’d tried her darnedest to escape the rush of single women desperate to nab the bridal bouquet. Now, she stood beneath a magnolia tree, her face tipped to catch the moonlight. The breath caught in his throat, and for one fanciful second, Brant imagined a mythical princess or fairy.

He shook his head. The woman was real, and he wanted a dance, wanted to hold her in his arms. A little flirting? Harmless.

Stepping out of the shadows, he made his way to her. “How about a dance?” Holding out a hand, he tipped his head toward the temporary dance floor in the backyard.

She hesitated.

“I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment, sugar. Just a single dance under the stars.”

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Read an excerpt from Innocent Target by Katie Reus

Today we have the blog tour for Innocent Target by Katie Reus! Check out this new romantic suspense and grab your copy today!

From USA Today bestselling author Katie Reus comes the next story in the explosive Redemption Harbor series where sparks fly and so do bullets…

He wasn’t supposed to fall for her…

She was a target. A contract that came across his desk by mistake. Axel was simply going to warn her that she was in danger and get out. Then he got a taste of her and fell hard. But they’re from two different worlds. Not only is she innocent, she’s out of his league. He should keep his distance, but he can’t. Not when someone wants her dead. Now he’s driven to protect her, to keep her safe.

What happens when she discovers who he really is?

Hadley moved to Redemption Harbor for vet school and to be closer to her new family. Now that her billionaire father knows about her existence, her life has changed drastically. She just never imagined that she might be targeted because of her family. And she definitely never imagined she would fall for the one man she should never want. A man who kills for a living. A man who’s obsessed with her. A man who will do anything to protect her from the danger lurking in the shadows.

Excerpt

Copyright © Katie Reus 2018

Hadley adjusted her backpack as she reached the edge of the dark parking lot where she’d parked her car. Normally this lot was fully lit up this time of night. The college was intense about security.

Frowning, she scanned the surrounding grassy areas, which were now covered in shadows from the giant oak trees. In the daytime, this place was gorgeous and teeming with life. Now it was creepy. Really wishing that Cindy, her classmate, had been in class tonight to walk with her like they normally did, she pulled out her cell phone instead. Using her phone’s flashlight app, she held it up as she hurried across the parking lot.

She could see the outline of a couple cars, including her own, but only because she knew where she’d parked it. Directly under one of the lights.

Which was currently out.

Maybe there had been a power outage on part of the campus? Seemed weird, since there hadn’t been a storm, but who knew. She was new to the college and living in South Carolina. Redemption Harbor had a great vet school, which was a huge part of why she was here. But she’d really wanted to get to know her new family. Applying for school here before she’d met her half-brother had been a risk, but she’d gone for it because of the stellar program. She’d grown up knowing who her father and half-brother were, but until a couple months ago they hadn’t even known she’d existed.

For so long she’d stayed away from them because of her mom’s lies. Now she knew and loved her father and half-brother. They were overprotective and could sometimes be overbearing, but she was learning how to create boundaries and make them stick. Because holy crap, those men were like big bulldogs who seemed to think she was made of spun glass. And her brother’s friends—male and female—were just as protective.

Picking up her pace, she hurried toward her red car. As a woman, she’d learned not to put herself in risky situations from a young age. It was like breathing; it was simply what you did. So right now she was pissed off on principle that all the lights in this parking lot were off and she didn’t have a friend to walk with.

And she was also kicking herself for not putting the pepper spray her brother had given her in her backpack. No excuse for that.

As she reached her car she pressed the key fob and slipped her backpack off. Just as she reached for the door handle, two rough hands grabbed her shoulders from behind and slammed her against the car.

Crying out, she threw a hand up to brace herself but the side of her head hit the top of her car. Pain ricocheted through her skull, jarring her.

Before she even had time to react or fight back, her attacker wrapped an arm around her throat.

Adrenaline jagged through her, sharp and cutting. No. Oh God, no! She couldn’t pass out. Then he could do whatever he wanted, even transport her from here, or kill her.

No!

Hadley reared back with an elbow and jabbed the guy in his stomach but he didn’t even react.

He didn’t say anything at all, which made it somehow worse. She felt as if she was dying. A thump sounded as she kicked out, accidentally slamming her foot into her car. More pain registered but she ignored it as she tried to stay awake.

Tears stung her eyes as she struggled and thrashed, even as he tightened his grip on her throat. Everything was getting fuzzy, and in the back of her mind she knew that she was going to pass out soon. She tried to scream but nothing would come out as he kept up the pressure on her windpipe.

Frantic, she lifted her legs and used her feet to shove off her car, propelling them backward. He stumbled once.

Abruptly his hold loosened and she fell to the concrete pavement. Her palms slammed against the ground even as she heard the male grunting.

Run. Hide. Now.

Turning and lifting her hands to shield herself from the attack she expected she…froze. They weren’t alone anymore. Thanks to muted moonlight she could make out two men fighting in the dark but they were both shadowy figures.

One had a mask and the other had a big beard.

What was happening? Fear snaked through her even as she told herself to run. It held her immobile, however, as she watched the bearded guy slam his fist into the other masked man’s face.

A crunching sound rent the air as bone broke.

The other man slumped and the one with the beard hauled the other guy up, tossing him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. Then he dumped him in the trunk of a nearby car.

The guy didn’t even look her way, just slammed the trunk shut, slid into the driver’s seat and took off without turning on the headlights.

Hadley shoved up, but stood there, shaking.

What…had just happened?

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About Katie Reus

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.

However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.

Connect with Katie:  Facebook | Blog| Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Website

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Read an excerpt from Fixing Sydney by Diane Zparkki

Sydney Sommer's world fell apart after senior prom. Since then, her life had become a constant loop of unfortunate scenarios that kept her in constant fear of what might be lurking around the next corner. Her trust in others was at a standstill. Even those who were closest to her were held at a distance.

After serving active duty overseas, Jaxon Triggs moved away from his hometown, hoping the change in scenery would help him build a new future for himself. What he wasn't expecting was to fall for a girl who was broken.

From the first moment Jaxon laid eyes on Sydney, he was curious. He became determined to do everything he could to break through the armor Sydney held around her so securely. His instinct to protect her and keep her safe kicked in as the dangers she encountered became more personal.

With dread always looming close by and secrets discovered, would Sydney be able to handle the new changes in her life yet heal at the same time?

Excerpt

I took a seat in my philosophy class, and Billy came in and gave me a chin lift before he sat down beside me.

“Hey, Syd.”

“Hey, what’s happening?” I asked, starting to unpack my notebook.

“Nothing. You working tonight?”

“Yeah,” I replied, digging into my bag for a highlighter.

“I hear it might get rowdy. The Tigers basketball team is the visitor tonight. You know how crazy those boys are.”

“Great,” I said, disgruntled. I hated when visiting teams came in and beat us. The boys got territorial. Winning away was always sweet, beating the team on their own turf, but losing at home was the pits.

Class began as the professor came in and started his lecture. I loved looking down at my notes and seeing it all organized and highlighted. It gave me such joy. I was such a geek.

My next class was across campus. Billy and I left class together with a few other friends who were all pumped for the game.

“Are you going to the game tonight, Sydney?” my friend Diana asked.

“Nah, I have to work.”

“Bummer,” she responded, not really caring if I was there or not.

We all went our separate ways once we reached the building my next class was in. They walked toward the parking lot, and I headed to class, waving good-bye.

“See you later, Billy!” I shouted out as he veered toward the lot.

“I’m not working tonight, but I might come in for a drink later. I’ll let you know how the game goes,” he shouted back.

My next class was cut short due to the professor being sick with some flu bug. The TA gave a short lecture then handed out the homework. We were out in thirty minutes.

I headed out to the parking lot and was thinking of all the extra time I had when I spotted my Jeep in the distance. As I got closer, I could see a paper underneath my wipers, flapping in the light breeze. Students were always promoting Friday pub nights or a keg party at one of the frat houses.

Getting closer, though, I noticed it wasn’t a flyer, but an envelope. My stomach dropped. I tried to ignore the feelings creeping up, but I knew better.

I lifted the wiper and picked it up as if it had a disease on it. My phone chimed to let me know I had a text just as I was about to open the envelope. I quickly lifted my phone out of my bag, hoping it would be Shannon to drag my thoughts away from the envelope that felt like a brick in my hand.

The text read, “Love your outfit, beautiful. Xxx,” and then it disappeared.

I could feel the blood draining from my face, and I felt like I was in quicksand. It took me a few minutes to move before I quickly jumped into my Jeep and threw all my stuff and the envelope onto the passenger side. I put my keys in the ignition, turned the key, locked the door with my elbow, and peeled out of the parking lot.

I didn’t look back. I didn’t pay attention to anything as I raced home. I just needed to get home.

I was halfway home when I felt my skin start to crawl. I pulled over on the side of the road and started to pull my sweater off over my head and then shimmied out of my skirt. Once I got them off, I threw them over to the passenger side. I couldn’t stand having those clothes touching my skin.

I didn’t even stop to think for a second what I was doing. I simply kept telling myself over and over again, “No one is gonna mess with my head, not anymore.”

I arrived home, grabbed my skirt and sweater, ran into the garage, and found a can of starter fluid and the long barbeque lighter.

My bare feet felt the light warmth from the afternoon sun when I ran from the paved driveway to the soft grass as I headed over to the backyard where the fire pit awaited me.

I tossed my sweater and skirt straight in and flipped open the starter fluid then turned it over. Long liquid trails covered my clothing. I made sure I drenched enough fluid all over the clothes that there would be no delay in watching them go up in flames. Then I took the lighter and lit it. My hands were shaking, so it took me a few tries to ignite the lighter.

I bent down and watched my clothing start to be engulfed in the red and orange flames with a sense of relief. I really liked that skirt, but I would have never worn it again.

I stood there, staring at the flames heating up my face and watching as each piece of material curled up and lost its color, turning black and disintegrating into nothing.

Barefoot in only my tank top and panties, slouched down on my knees, watching the flames, I had no thoughts, no feelings, no nothing. I was hollow.

“Sydney?” I could hear my name being called. “Sydney…? Syd…? Babe?”

It was all in a tunnel, far away.

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About the Author

Diane Zparkki - I was born and raised in the greater Toronto area and raised my own family in the suburbs of the city. I'm a busy working mom with writing being my second full time job. With my husband, we have raised three great kids. Who constantly keep me on my toes and laughing. I enjoy planning themed parties and traveling with my family creating memories. Thrill seeking of some sort is always on the menu which I usually drags my family along with me. Going to the movies is always a good night out or curling up with a book and a steaming cup of tea. I have been known to do some Netflix binge watching.

I was never a big reader or writer in my youth-Coles Notes were my best friend throughout college. My enthusiasm for reading came later in life when I joined a book club. I enjoyed reading those initial books that got me hooked into the literary world, but I wanted raw, simple, and happily ever after with a bit of get down and dirty. That was when my love for Alpha bad boys on a Harley was set in motion.

After becoming an avid reader, my mind started to create my first story, and I needed to get it out.

Fixing Sydney and Holden's Regrets are the first two of Branson's Kind of Love Trilogy. I hope you enjoy Sydney and Holden's stories with Logan's coming in the near future.

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Spotlight: Cold in the Shadows by Toni Anderson

"Spine-tingling suspense and dangerously seductive romance!!"- Ripe For Reader

Attacked and fleeing for her life, biologist Audrey Lockhart is forced to put her trust in an enigmatic stranger who saves her from certain death. 

Working in the shadows, CIA Officer Patrick Killion needs to figure out if the feisty frog biologist is a deadly assassin or an innocent scapegoat. And the only way to do that, is to gain her trust. 

Audrey discovers her rescue was actually an abduction and the man she thought was her savior is her captor. And in the world of covert ops she's terrified she's nothing more than a pawn in the game she doesn't understand.

But Killion is falling hard and fast for his target and suddenly he has his hands full, dealing with a smart, beautiful woman who is furious at his deception. Betrayal is everywhere and Killion doesn't know who to trust. The organization he works for? Or the woman he's falling in love with? 

Booksellers' Best Awards Finalist in Romantic Suspense, 2016. COLD IN THE SHADOWS is a 100K-word Romantic Suspense that can be read as a STANDALONE novel. It is the fifth book in the award-winning and bestselling Cold Justice Series.

Add COLD IN THE SHADOWS to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2rUd7aT

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About Toni Anderson

New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense novels that have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble's Nook store, the Top 10 in Amazon and Kobo stores, and the Top 50 in iBooks. Her novels have won many awards. A former Marine Biologist from Britain, she inexplicably ended up in the geographical center of North America, about as far from the ocean as it is possible to get. She now lives in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children and spends most of her time complaining about the weather.

Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She's addicted to reading, dogs, tea, and chocolate.

If you want to know when Toni's next book will be out, visit her website (http://www.toniandersonauthor.com) and sign up for her newsletter. If you want to read other fascinating stories about life in a city that, during winter, is sometimes colder than Mars, friend her on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/toniannanderson).

Connect with Toni Anderson: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Cover Reveal: Blizzard by Cambria Hebert

Blizzard
Cambria Hebert
(BearPaw Resort #2)
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

An arctic blast is coming…

Fleeing to the wintry town of Caribou was always meant to be temporary,
BearPaw Resort just a place to hide.
Never in a million years did I expect that running back to the past
would bring me face to face with my future.
But it did, and now everyone I love is in danger.
I’ve already escaped death three times, and I know my luck is running out.
I’m left looking over my shoulder, watching and waiting,
knowing they’re coming
But when?
Hiding is impossible when the mob wants you erased,
and I love Liam far too much to try to disappear.
The more time I spend with him, the more I realize how much he needs me.
A darkness lurks inside him, and the colder it gets, the more I see it in his eyes.
So here I am, more afraid than ever before.
Giving up isn’t an option. Giving in will get us killed.
A blizzard is brewing on our mountain,
more frigid than anything we’ve ever felt.
With everything we ever wanted at stake, the only option is to fight.

When life turns arctic…
Who will survive the blast?

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Book 1 in the series:

—

Author Bio:

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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