I confess I was mightily touched by the action of my men.“I had intended spending my birthday alone, but after you taking the trouble to provide me ...ith nine gallons of my favourite ale it would be churlish of me not to invite the two of you share the contents of the cask. You would be the representatives of the regiment, and of those goodly men who so kindly handed over their cash to buy me this magnificent gift.”I gave Mr. Goodman a mock severe look. “This, I trust, was without menaces from. Can I help you?" That was my hope. I've rallied some men and I want you to be part of our Party. I know the location of the next Stairway and I'm planning to take on the Boss and secure the next City for myself. Help me out and you will be paid handsomely. Do a good enough job, and I might be able to help the Moon Dogs get back on top." And you want a failure like me involved in taking on a Stairway? Why?" I know you Litner. Strong, fast, and courageous. Two years ago, the Boss would have. .. horny a lot." The last few words were delivered in a muffled rush as Mal covered her face in equally fake embarrassment."I told her not to take it," said Sam, pushing the point. It had been decided that if Mallory could have kept her panties on, this whole thing would not have happened. If she'd simply let her uncle fondle her boobs, but then stopped it at that, they would have had power over him that would have protected them from disclosure about their own activities, and everything would. All she could do was express her concern and hope for the best.Here ... they'd chosen her and she'd chosen them. She'd accepted her place in the House, and all that went with it. There were ties and bonds she was only beginning to identify, and hadn't yet begun to understand. She hadn't joined a House in some semi-feudal kink society; she'd joined a tribe, a clan. Other Houses might not play that way, but there was no doubt in her mind that her House saw no other way to play ... or to.