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"What did you tell hi a lock here and there

"That you’re special That you have a purpose in this world And that you’ll need support in order to fulfill it"

Not too bad of a reveal What hter? "Please don’t tell him any more about us, about our business He’s not the nice boy you think he is Not like Brandon was"

I thought back to the last ti his setting gaffled I should’ve told him that I loved him--instead of "You’re the best"

And it was because of the Cajun that I’d never gotten to speak to Brandon ever again

"Don’t be so hard on Jack, honey Everything’s different now He even said he’s going to fixa car"

Early on, Mo to North Carolina to find Gran I’d asked her, "Do you really think she’s still alive?"

Mos had kept us here: the lack of a vehicle, our wait for order to be restored, and the ready sources of water

The wells were getting low, and apparently, order wasn’t forthcoht be "Do you believe what Jackson said about the militia?"

She nodded "If there are so feomen survivors, and if those overnmentEvie, people with no hope for the future can be very dangerous" She paused, seeht way to phrase her next words "I know this is hard for you to understand, but things can get worse for us, for anyone who’s left"

"But they’ll probably have a doctor who could fix you right up"

She shook her head "And they’ll marry you off to so to setHe’s so considerate Not to et a load of his shoulders? And that rakish grin?"

I’d always thought of it as a sent He can take care of you"

And what about you? "If I have to et you well"--to save your life--"then that’s et to sacrifice for me, but I can’t do the same?"

"Because I’m your et you medical attention?"

"That’s precisely what I’, which only steeled ?" I said, wondering if her side could get any tighter, any darker over the night "We can decide then" I’d already decided

I thought she’d argue -eyed look, she added, "You could get him to stay with us, if you were nice to hi in me says not to trust him" He’d lied to me, stolen from me, played me for a fool

"That’s a sha ever happened to me"

I stilled "You wouldn’t You justabout him And he told me he’d consider it! He likes you, Evie He wouldn’t have come back here to warn us if he didn’t Now, pro with hi worse than before

I hurried to rub her back, saying, "Okay, okay, I prolass of water "I’ll go see if he needs help"

Her expression brightened, easing the strain on her pale face "Thank you, honey"

Still , I headed down the shadowy staircase At once, the voices grew louder Oh, and now there was a new one aer of Doubt--

"Ugh!" I snapped under my breath "What does thatto yourself?" Jackson said He’d paused on his way upstairs with a folding card table--so Moo down

Which wasconsiderate of him

He climbed to the step just below eline You dress up all pretty for me?"

Strike considerate "Hardly" When he just stared atdown there?"

"Long enough to know you’re fixing to break that promise you just made Now, be polite, honey"

You wouldn’t know polite if it bit you in the ass With a fake smile and cheery tone, I said, "Why Jackson, I can’t wait for dinner! I’ll go get the dishes!"

But he blocked e of the table on a stair His eyes seeht, his expression intent

He pressed one pal in close--just as he had all those o when he’d almost kissed me When he’d stalled for Lionel

I reht I remembered the excitement--and the attraction--I’d felt

He’d been handsoeous; was he even more devious?

"Da since I’ve seen a flower that I’d nearly forgotten what they s it between his thu expensive perfume? Ole Jack senses a trap Consider me snared"

"What’s your racket? Why are you really here?"

"Maybe I’uy you uy would say" I pushed past hirabbed my arht’s goan to proceed"

I gaped at his condescending tone "How dare you--"

He talked over rand dinner, as nice as you can think to e After we eat, you, oan to oes to sleep Then you’re goan to give et to work Because I a here ahead of that militia Comprends?"

"II" My face started to throb Oh, no, no Not now! Not in front of his shrewd gaze

Grueling pain shot through an to disappear The ht the vision, the worse et to privacy, but he caught my arm "Evie? What’s the matter, you?"

Instead of the house, I saw blackened forest all aroundhiave way, and I was grasping at hione

I was outside on a freezing night, standing in a haze of s I could hearin terror all around me, but I couldn’t see why

When explosions rocked the earth beneath my feet, panic set in, dread I had loved ones out in the chaos, but couldn’t reach the to protect theh I couldn’t h the soddess She drew back her bowstring, taking aim--