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There was noto distract her

After the boys left for the dance, Haven spent the evening drawing and thinking about her life As much as she didn’t want to aded to be the pretty girl in the pretty dress, going to a dance with the other teenagers

Tired of ing, she crawled out of bed to go downstairs She headed to the kitchen for a drink but froze when she turned on the light and realized soe, his shoulders slouched and a bottle of liquor in his hand Their eyes met, and even from across the room she could see the passion A lot of soul lurked beneath his hardened exterior

"I didn’t , Haven It’s not like I’ myself into a co away, but he spoke again before she could "I sounded like a dickhead, didn’t I?"

Without answering, she brushed by hi of orange juice and set it on the counter, reaching past Carlass froainst her "Get rabbed a second glass, unable to stop her reaction Haven poured thee

Carmine’s behavior confused her, but a naïve part of her craved his company Now that he was there, she had a distraction And ain

He tipped his bottle of liquor, grunting after he pulled it froritty He poured so a bit in hers "I don’t like drinking alone"

Alone Haven kne that felt

She sniffed the drink, scrunching up her nose "What is it?"

"Why askread the bottle" Her eyes widened, and he groaned "I sounded like a dick again I didn’t ed her drink It still tasted like orange juice, but a bitter edge to it burned her throat Carlass onto the counter

"Lahis drink "You have potential, tesoro"

She smiled "Thanks, I think"

"It’s a coet ain"

He hopped down fro some liquor to both Haven took a deep breath as she picked hers up It was a lot stronger the second tiot half of it down before pulling the glass aith a cough "Goodness, that’s strong"

"Yeah, I loaded that one," he replied "Don’t chug anymore If you do, you’ll pass out, and I’d really like soing returning He wanted her company, too

He held the bottle up "And it’s Grey Goose vodka, in case you’re still wondering"

They went up to the third floor to Carmine’s bedroom He set his drink on his desk and sat in the chair, but Haven hesitated in the doorway, unsure of what to do

"You can sit anywhere you want," he said, sensing her dilee of his bed and anxiously took a sip of her drink

"So let’s play a gaested "How about twenty-one questions?"

Her nerves flared She had no idea what that was

He took notice of her bewildered expression "We take turns asking each other questions until we hit twenty-one Only rule is you can’t lie I don’t give a shit what it’s about--just no lying"

"Okay" She took a deep breath "You go first"

Her hand trehed and stood, taking her glass and setting it on his desk After pulling out his keys, he unlocked his bottos? And that doesn’t count as my question I just wanna know before I do this"

"Uh, I don’t know much about thear and lit it, the rooht it to his lips and inhaled as he crouched down in front of her "The ill relax you, okay?"

She nodded, transfixed by his proximity

"I’ll make it easy on you," he said "Just inhale and hold it as long as you can"

He brought it to his lips and sucked in deeply as he leaned toward her Haven’s heart raced as he cocked his head to the side, pausing with his lips an inch fros infiltrating her systeo when she needed air

Exhaling slowly, she opened her eyes to see Car more than the s if you weren’t allowed to have any books?"

She blushed "I took a book that belonged to my firsta thief"

He sat down again "Yeah, well, you live with a career criminal Thievery doesn’t faze us"

"You’re a career criminal?"

He looked at her with confusion "No, I o" She didn’t know, and that struck hi different"

Still confused, she pulled out soet that scar on your side?"

"Christ, you’re not gonna take it easy on ot the scar when I was eight, bullet ripped through ht maybe he’d fallen or cut himself--but she didn’t think he would say he’d been shot

"Like I said, we’re more alike than you think," he continued "I shed blood over shit that wasn’t s in common? "Why were you shot?"

He shook his head "It’s my turn Do you have any secret talents?"

"Well, I like to draw, but I don’t know if it’s a talent"

"Will you draw so for me?"