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"What about Lee?"

"He’s a security risk now that he’s seen this safe house and the agents here He’s safer with us, Ruby The president wants him dead I’m sure he’d coainst the pale bed sheets A weapon Liam as a weapon Liauilty He had fought so hard to escape this violence, and I’d turned hiht back toward it They’d put their hands on him and press him into their mold, and he’d come out the other end of it as the sa

I was breathing hard now, though inwardly I was as calm as the waters on East River’s lake All at once, the final piece clicked into place, and I knehat I was going to do

"Okay," I said "I’ll stay and I won’t fight you or manipulate you But if you want me to do as you say…if you want to useon o"

"Ruby," she began, shaking her head, "it’s too dangerous, for everyone involved"

"He’s a Blue You don’t need hihter, not like you want"

And if he stays here, you will kill hiood part of him

"I can do so much now," I told her, "but you won’t see another hint of it until you let hio Until you swear you will never chase him down"

Cate watched me for a moment, a hand pressed to her mouth I could see the indecision in her face I had used Martin to show her exactly what I could offer them, and he, apparently, had already proven to thee could be These were not, however, the terht," she said, finally "All right He can go"

"How do I know you’ll keep your proain into her pocket The silver Cal me out of her head, was still hen she pressed it into ers closed around hers

"So help me God," I said slowly, clearly, when Cate looked up at o back on your word, I will tear you apart And I won’t stop, not ever, until I’ve destroyed your life and the lives of every single person in this organization Believe me, you may not always keep your promises, but I do"

She nodded atalmost like pride in her eyes

"Understood," Cate said, and we did

They kept Liam in the bedroom at the other end of the hall, in a room painted a soft blue The kind of color you’d only find in the sky just before sunrise, ht have been a nursery once There were clouds painted on the ceiling, and the few pieces of furniture left seee adult

Liam sat on the tiny bed with his back to ht he was staring out theAs I came closer, I saas actually fixated on the wrinkled sheet of paper in his hand

The bed dipped as I crawled across it, wrapping ainst his, letting my hands wander until they found his steady heartbeat He shut his eyes and leaned back

"What are you looking at?" I whispered