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"Why?" He seems shocked by such a ridiculous confession "She’s just awith people’s heads You’re so much more wolance over again and he’s grinning dopily

I allow hih to let him know that I appreciate that, but it fades just as quickly

"She’s al out at the dark, quiet city again "She knohat she’s doing And she’s good at it--I wish Victor hadall right for a long ti one oftheood about myself anymore I feel like I’ve taken ten steps backward"

"Then do so about it," he says "At least you can fix your flaws You’re young and beautiful and healthy Me"--he points at himself with both chunky hands--"I’ets winded going up three flights of stairs And I’ht or better one I’m unfaithful to the only woman who has ever really put up with my shit It’d take more than a treadmill and hair ier at hi fat fucker I aduy, James A little creepy sometimes and you need to work on your dependent personality, and, Jesus Christ lose that choke-the-fuck-out-of- with you--and you h kids" A grin sneaks over ood father--I never had one And you’re an asset to Victor He wouldn’t have you here involved in this business, trusting you with top secret information, if he didn’t think you were i hile to contribute So, don’t be so hard on yourself"

"Hmmm," he says, "sounds like somebody should take her own advice"

I look at hiaze this time

"You think someone like Victor Faust would keep a wo with her, or had feelings for her?" he says, et "He’s too careful, and has way too much invested in this to make mistakes like that If he didn’t think you were an asset, he may still be in love with you, but you’d be aze drifts as I sit in thought

"So, whatever you’re unhappy with about yourself," he goes on, "just fix it"

A black car pulls up in front of the building below and the headlights shut off Pushingto see a tall, dark-haired devil getting out of the driver’s side door

"Holy shit…it’s Fredrik" I’ moment is stare from the rooftop at the top of Fredrik’s head until he disappears froets to his feet with difficulty

"Are you sure?" he asks once he’s standing upright

We’re five-stories up and it’s dark, but I know that’s Fredrik I just know it

"Definitely Let’s go!"

I walk briskly toward the rooftop door James follows closely behind, the sound of his dress pants shuffling over the concrete as he tries to keep up Placing both hands on the lever handle running horizontally across the door, I give it a heavy shove and it swings open, hitting the brick wall behind it with a bang that echoes through the stairwell far out ahead of us