Page 42 (1/2)

"This isn’t just for you, is it?"

She shook her head "AJ wasn’t my kidnapper He was my savior"

"I know"

"We’ll stay?" Her chest lifted and held Her eyes were so hopeful As I nodded, she let out her breath "Thank you" Touching my cheek, she lifted up and kissed the corner of my mouth "Thank you so much," she whispered "I love you"

"Eht her and held her there "We’re here, but it’s like we’re not That means no Theresa, no Amanda, and no Noah even None of them can knoant us hidden as much as possible"

"I know I understand, but I’d like a few nights to spend ti her from here could be done I’d just have to be flexible As Emma headed for the car, Michael ca to need a new safe house," I told him

"Sir?"

My ho here, everything had to be new

Today was going to be a great day

As soon as I woke, I re to spend tiotten a new phone I could use to text with her, and we’d started planning

We were going to o to a bookstore, followed by a lunch For the afternoon we’d booked a salon, and then we’d end with dinner All our meals would be at Carter’s establishments He’d also approved the bookstore and the salon Every uises The guards would be doing their blending thing, and they were going the extratheir usual black suits, they’d be dressed like noruards and gavenow"

I didn’t respond Their usual intied, likeabout the Bartel war, but he told me to pretend it wasn’t there

"Get to know your sister," he’d said "If you talk about the war, that could get between the two of you getting to know each other"

I followed his advice, but after perusing the bookstore, e sat down for lunch, she brought it up

"Ummm…" She unfolded her cloth napkin and didn’t look at me As she placed it on her lap, her head remained focused there for a beat Then she looked up, and I saw a different look in her eye

She was about to introduce a real topic, not the casual conversation we’d been having allan "I…" She stopped and tucked so this up I--oh boy--I loved ht I knoas unconventional, de to see you like that To be honest, I’d had a little too uards showed up Then all that liquid courage left me, but…" Her hand returned to her lap "The bomb You--you’re okay after that?"