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"Watch where you’re going, you little bitch Get one drop on me, and I’ll have Cristobal kick you out on the streets like that" Ana tried to snap her fingers for effect, failed, and succeeded on the second try "You can crawl back to whatever hole you live in and fuck your landlord for rent"

Classy, said Horatio

Justin knew the waitress After four years, he knew every single person orked for Cristobal Her naood head on her shoulders and a pretty face too, and in a sea of woo, Sara was so to know better Sara was too set involved with any of her boss’s party friends, though, and hadup with drunken gangsters and would-be socialites was to feed the two small children she had at ho in her that rely--and painfully--of his sister

Even now, Sara was too savvy to offer a word of protest She accepted the rebuke y as she delivered the table’s drinks Justin handed her one of Huan’s larger chips as a tip, earning a nod of thanks

Ana watched her go in triu proud of her ability to demean soet that Cristobal wants easy ass around, but I don’t kno he puts up with the incompetence She’s lucky she didn’t ruin this dress It’s a Gemman ih he should be impressed "Not that you’d expect trash like her to understand that"

"Trash? She’s from the same place you are," said Justin He spoke quietly, but everyone at the table heard

Ana’s eyes widened "I live over on the west shore"

Huanin Justin snapped He was so, so tired of this place Tired of the ga for Cristobal’s entertainreatness and divine plans that lay in store for hireatness in his future There would be no end to this place, and it et to leave it

"But you grew up in San Garcia," Justin told Ana He rushed forhen she started to shake her head in denial "It’s in the way you slur your S’s and use expressions like ‘easy ass’ All the e where you ca to hide it with piles of fake jewelry isn’t going to work either"

Ana flushed "These are real!"

"The hell they are I can see the brass tarnishing froed to visit a post-Feriae costume clearance sale That fabric’s just some flammable castoff from Guatemala I know, because I saw it in stock at that tailor down on Flores Street, which is the saet my shitty knockoffs" Justin paused to take a drink, then remembered he was out "You can put on as many airs as you want, but in the end, that dress is the san dressed up to look like it’s worth more than it is"

The table collectively held its breath, and then Ana, face furious, flung her wineglass at Justin, leaving a bloody stain on his shirt "Looks like it’s time for another shitty knockoff" She storht bleakly

Huan caught hold of Justin’s ararette, Little Miss Charis himself be led

"It’s not for me Here" Huan took off his coat and handed it over "You don’t want the world thinking you were shot Unless you want to play dead when her husband coe"

Huanbecause he had one of the official coats he wore in his diplos It was navy, double-breasted, with the EA’s flag e the collar that correlated to his rank and position Wearing it felt weird to Justin, but not as weird as walking around in a wine-stained shirt

"Will this get ave him a sympathetic smile as an answer and opened a door that led out to a back alley Even with the heat and hu compared to the haze and crush of bodies inside The sound of night insects buzzed around them, and above, clouds chased each other across the sky In the distance, he thought he heard the low rumble of thunder, and the trees on the other side of the building were beginning to sway Storms had a tendency to blow up fast and furious around here

Justin groaned "I don’t knohy I put up with this"

"Because Cristobal lets you live like a king," said Huan, giving hi his guests"

"I’d rather be a beggar at the RUNA’s door than king of this nightmare," Justin replied

"If it reat job with the story tonight One of your best perforets you a little closer to hell each time you tell it"

"I don’t believe in hell, so it’s okay"

Silence fell around thely "I was just in your old stoh" His expression almost became compassionate He knew these conversations tormented Justin…but he also knew Justin yearned for the in Vancouver"

Justin jerked his head up Vancouver! The very word had power "Hoas it?"

"The same as always Beautiful and perfect The jewel of the world"