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I spoke, this ti at ht, filledthere? Watching me?

Noah opened my bedroom door He pointed at one of the sets of French doors in our hallway, just five feet away "That’s probably where he--Mara?"

I looked up at hiht?" he asked

It was only then that I realized I wasn’t quite breathing A fist squeezed s

Noah drew ainst it, placing his strong hands on my waist "Breathe," he whispered

I tried to But with the pressure of his fingers againstinto mine, with his war it difficult for other reasons I nodded anyway, though

And then Noah pulled away "I called the security firm after I left yesterday, but the person I wanted for you was on assignment until tomorrow I didn’t think--" He closed his eyes, quietly furious "I should never have left"

"It’s not your fault," I said, because it wasn’t "But I’ht"

He looked athard about his stare "Did you really think I wouldn’t? After what you just told ed

"I’m a bit bothered by your uncertainty," Noah said "I said I wouldn’t let Jude hurt you, and Iin my car"

His words drew a se to convincetoed"

"That’s it?" I asked

"At five-thirty in thelook "I’m impressed"

"By?"

"You have er--"

"I do ith older women, it’s true"

"And everyone else adores you," I said

At this, Noah paused "I think your father actually likesday"

"He doesn’t know you saved his life"

Noah didn’t respond; he went back to studying the pictures instead "Your eyes in this one"

Ah Phoebe’s handiwork "That wasn’t Jude," I said "There’s this girl at Horizons--she’s seriously crazy, Noah, not just, like, neurotic or , and then handed it to ainst the light of randmother’s white chandelier "You’re certain she’s the one who scratched them out?"

I nodded "She admitted it She said she ‘fixed’ the," he said and paused "Is it awful there?"

I shrugged "Jamie helps"

"Wait--JamieRoth?"

"Yup He was banished there post-expulsion"