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"Yes?" I said, unable to hide the irritation in n as to what I should do

"Isn’t that the saht we first saw her at the pub?"

When Jared held out his arhed "I…can’t reet ready or not?"

"The thing is," he said, his voice just on the other side of the door, "I ran the plates, and it’s registered to Claire Ryel"

For the first time, Claire looked nervous She rubbed the back of her neck the way her brother rubbed his when things between us were tense It struck me as funny, and a smile forced its way to the surface

"It’s not funny!" Claire mouthed silently When I covered my mouth with my hand, a smile crept across her face as wel

"Uh…" I said, turning once again to Jared He rol ed his eyes, gesturing for us to somehow fix theme…er…pick out a dress"

"So she walked home?" Ryan said fro

Claire desperately pointed at Jared

"Jared took her home!" I said

Ryan puffed "Okay, but the Escalade is parked behind the Lotus"

"Shit!" I whispered, interlocking ers on top of my head "He…took her hoaveRyan would accept my story

"Nina," Ryan said "Could I talk to Claire for a minute? Just…just for one ripped around it, refusing to let it budge a mil imeter more

"She’s not here, Ryan I told you"

"Then open the door"

"I’m not dressed"

"I’ve seen you that way before"

Jared frowned, and I laughed once "It’s different, now"

"Claire?" Ryan said "Can I talk to you? Please? I won’t take up much of your time, I swear I just need to, uh…," he chuckled, "I feel real y stupid right now"

"You should, since she’s not here," I said

"Claire Please?" he asked

Claire leaned her forehead silently against the door She bit her lip and sighed "Go away, Ryan"

"Claire?" Ryan said, his voice excited "Please open the door"

"Nina told ed, "you’re crazy"

"I knohat I saw," Ryan said, his tone notably less enthusiastic than before "I know you were there"

"Right I was in Afghanistan or wherever, sniping Al Qaeda, and carrying you over my back for miles Sounds like me," she snapped

"I just want to see you," Ryan said "I need to see you to be sure"

Jared shook his head, and Claire’s expression grew impatient "Beat it, Ryan," she said

After a short pause, Ryan hit the door with the side of his fist "I’oing to do?" Claire yel ed, taking a step away froe around and impress us to death?"

"Open the door!" Ryan demanded

"No!" Claire said

"Fine!" he replied "But I’ up on you"

He stomped down the stairs and slammed the door

Chapter Thirteen

Lesson

"I need the keys to your bike," Claire said, holding out her hand to Bex

He frowned "Why?"

"Because I have to fol ow hi car! Giveher hand toward Bex, impatient

In one swift , little sister She wheeled around, sprinting down the stairs

"Don’t forget the helmet," he call ed after her

"Shove it!" she yel ed before sla hard onto the delicate pink cushion of the bench "This is bad"

Jared took slow steps to stand beside me "Ryan is the least of our worries"

"That makes me feel much better," I said

Bex left us alone to sit on the stairs, and Jared pul ed me from the bench to sit beside hihtly brushing the skin of ertips

"Do you understand what could happen?" he said softly, his eyes stil focused on my arm

After a short pause, I took a breath "Yes"

Heat the hands of the s on three planes wasn’t peaceful, in my sleep as I had planned, but it was an end I wondered ould take place in thatmy death

His eyes were dark, the skin around the us was suffocating

"I knohat Father Francis said," Jared said, his voice breaking "But, I can’t believe that I have to see the book for myself to be sure There has to be a reason our father’s wanted it so badly Gabe must have known there was a way to stop it

"Stay with me," I said

"I can’t," he replied

"Just for a while Just until I fal asleep?"

Jared met my eyes, and I could see that he would let ether above the sheets, silent and thoughtful I i a way around Donovan and Isaac in hisfor a conclusion Shax had stayed one step ahead of Jared--even Kim, his secret weapon--and he was frustrated

Jared’s arht footsteps rushed down the stairs, and the door opened After a few moments, another set, heavier, returned with him, and Kim appeared in the doorway, out of breath and wide-eyed

Jared sprung fro on his jacket "Stay with her, Bex"

"I should go," Bex said

Knowing they were going to try to capture the book, I juo I’ll go, too, and if anything happens, Bex can help"

Jared frohile he made his decision "Nina…"

"We don’t have time for a lecture," I said "You know you have a better chance if Bex is there"