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Asher didn’t say anything He just put his hand out towardhe wouldn’t Please Just conoring Asher "I’ve got a plan We’ll split into two groups You two and the boy go upstairs, get up to where the intercoure out hoarn people to evacuate in all the languages you can think of Tell theet to the lifeboat deck--and see if you can tell anyone on land what’s going on out here Claire, Eure out a way to stop the ones down there fro up the boat"

At this, the expression on Asher’s face changed to one of complete disbelief--an expression I felt mirrored on irl were going to take on aro with you," I blurted out

"No way in hell," Asher said He looked from the door to me, his opinion clear Screw everyone else but the two of us--we could ht, but I wasn’t going to go without the for Asher to pick up and carry "You’ll figure out a way?" Asher went on,Hal, his voice incredulous

As much as I loved him, that was the fundauilt, push it away so that it was so reckoned with later or even never, his ith Nathaniel case in point Whereas withI could feel guilty about right now There was a helplessother men put explosives on our boat There were Marius, and Kate, and Jorge

I sed and looked away from Asher I loved him with all my heart, but that didn’tI looked over to Hal "I’ then" Hal bent over so that Claire could clamber up onto his back

Asher blocked et you back only to lose you again"

"You won’t You’ll knohere I am the whole time," I said with false bravado

I watched his jaw clench and his throat s "You’re the only thing in the world that ed Claire up into place "Does thate ed helplessly "What other choice do I have?"

"I’ his face I was afraid for a second that he’d be angry with me But he looked crestfallen instead, so deeply, deeply sad He held out his ariven He kissed ain, and then stopped just as fast as he’d begun, his face close tothis new ed into since the last ti his frustration, putting on anotherthe suave charmer as always in control "I love you too," he said, then he looked over to Rory "You ready, boy?"

"My na open the dead passenger’s closet doors, and then looked back to us and started stripping "I can’t do what I do looking like this I need a ed would have been too te, andSo I turned around as the others did, and when he was done, he coughed loudly for our attention and slicked his wet hair back with his good hand He looked rumpled and under stress, but back in control, and he picked up the radio, pointing it at me

"Meet you on the lifeboat deck in under an hour, or e’re both underwater, whichever comes first" He didn’t risk another kiss, for which I found rateful "Live, or else I can’t be held responsible for what I’ll do"

"I will," I promised

He jerked his head at Rory, and both of them went for the door

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

After Asher left, it was as if all the air’d gone out of the roo fellow!" Claire said, newly reperched on Hal’s back "Ready?"

"Ready!" Eer to follow the older woman’s lead

I tried to shake my fears away Was that the last ti but that, as I well kneas frequently futile I pressed h I could hold his last kiss there

Claire coughed forwhy your legs don’t work?"

"No I’irl when you’re on land Water’s kinder"

"You used to live in the sea?" E over to speak to the girl

"But you lovedher back

"Well, you know You’ve been sort of fun," Claire said, with an obvious tease Then she squeezed his thick shoulders tightly "We’ll go first, and if we see anyone, I’ll try to talk them down," she said, and Hal opened the door to lead us into the hall

I felt unco in the line of fire ahead of me so I put E brave now, I ain