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Sid touched the side of her neck It was tender, but the wounds were alone If she hadn’t been so pale, there’d probably be nothing left to see, no evidence of a va Two o to voice mail She should really answer this tiet someone to knock on her condo door And when no one answered the door, he’d get the super involved Jamie took his responsibilities as the oldest child very seriously Particularly when it cah and took the call

"Hey, Jamie"

"About damn time," he shouted "You disappear from the party and then don’t even bother to answer the phone?"

"I’etfor two days"

"I’ a story"

He grunted wordlessly, but said, "So the slave story’s al back ho Her o was supposed to be tes and violence, then back ho story had become a slavery story, and then Janey had died, and the slavery story had beco down And noas almost two years since she’d left her parents’ safe and cozy suburb for the wilds of the big city

If Jao, she’d have told hi home soon Her condo lease was up in a et out of the big city and back to the quiet co her here

But now that she’d ohim And she didn’t know if she could do that

"I don’t know," she answered Jamie’s question honestly

"Mom misses you, you know So does Dad, but Mom especially"

"I know, and I’m sorry ButI haven’t decided yet"

"Hthe waters

"That’s not the reason I’o, Jamie," she told hi tiuy’s bones, but you knoould if he hurt you"

"Will would never hurt me" She didn’t add that that was part of the problem, that Will was simply too nice, just like every other man she’d met until now She hadn’t realized it herself until she’d e

"Okay, wellI’ll be in town next week," Jamie told her "We can do lunch, or dinner You can cook for ht You can take et a husband if you don’t cook, baby girl?"