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"I’h that with your dad and Nickamedes They shouldn’t put you in the middle like that But surely, your dadto save your mom and sister That they sacrificed their lives to save yours Besides, you were only five when it happened There was nothing you could have done to stop the Reapers"

The i at hiht the Reapers Hi a sh the air And finally, Logan standing over the bloody bodies of hisbecause he hadn’t been able to protect them, because he hadn’t been able to save them And I felt all the Spartan’s eer and shaht he’d been a coward because he’d hidden from the Reapers like his mom had told him to It was a secret he’d kept to himself for years, one that he’d finally shown ht not like it, but I knew his actions that day made him the person he was-that they’d driven hian shook his head "According to round and fought that day-no an had told me that I wouldn’t like his about what had happened to his family hat had kept us apart Of course, that wasn’t true I couldn’t have been prouder of him-or loved him more But suddenly, his fears made sense Because all these years, his dad had made hi grateful that his son was still alive

"I’ain "Your dad shouldn’t have said that to you He shouldn’t have made you feel like that-ever He should have been happy you survived"

Logan shrugged We sat there in silence for a few rona?" I asked "What’s your step else that’s complicated She’s actually really nice, and my dad obviously loves her She’s the only one who makes him seem close to human-or happy"

"But"

"But Nickaan said "I think it has soot married just a year after my mom and sister were murdered I think Nickaotten over their deaths-or at least re that way, can you?" I asked "Your mom was his sister He lost her too that day And his niece"

"I know, and that’s what ht, and nobody’s co Everybody has their own side, and none of us are on the same one Sometimes I wish I had a different falad you have the family you do," I said "That they’re here with you and not gone"

Logan looked at me, and I knew he could see the pain infor one more day with my mom or the chance to spend time with my dad, Tyr He’d died when I o, so I didn’t even remember him Grandma Frost lovedthat I’d known my dad at least a little bit

He let out a breath "You’re right, Gypsy girl It’s just-they make me crazy, you know? Especially "

"I know, but that’s what fahed, and soot to his feet, then held out his hands I grabbed them, and he pulled irl?"

My breath caught in"H fashion sense? My sparkling personality? My witty one-liners?"

"No," he said, staring into h, no et"

Before I could respond, the Spartan’s arhtened around me, and he lowered his lips to mine

For a an’s lips oncircle of his ar againstintoabout the Spartan overloadedrush that h the air, like I could do absolutely anything, even touch the stars-

The sharp, deliberate scuffle of shoes on the floor an!" I hissed, pulling back "Alexei is staring at us!"

The Spartan glanced over his shoulder at the other warrior, as pretending he hadn’t just seen the two of us totally rinned

"Let hian and I spent a few very enjoyablehis throat The Spartan pulled back and dropped his arh his blue eyes flashed with laughter

"I think Alexei’s getting ian said "That, or he’s just jealous that he’s not back here with soht of how Alexei had looked at Oliver in the gyet back to work, re hooky is hed "Never But that’s what I have you for, Spartan To tell s"

I stood on an on the nose He let out a playful growl, but I slipped away before he could wrap his arht, and uess since I hadn’t been at the checkout counter for theo back to their dorh I knew things would be just as bad tomorrow Maybe even worse, as e to e But there was nothing I could do about any of that tonight, so I tried to put it out of an would leave as well, but the Spartan wandered out of the stacks and planted hiave hi here, and I’ht" His face darkened "Just in case some more jerks decide they want to take matters into their own hands where you’re concerned I called in reinforcements too They should be here any minute"