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Liaht," Chubs said "Don’t stay up too late You’re leaving toet"

Liam waited until Chubs had disappeared around the corner at the other end of the hall before turning to o build some shelves withhiht door It was alratitude and what must have been pure, untainted happiness I wanted to live inside the feeling forever

If nothing else, this one thing--this one choice--wasn’t made under pressure, or fear, or even desperation It was so I wanted To be as close to hi between us I wanted to show his that my words were too clumsy, too self-conscious, to really convey

Neither of us were laughing now; theup inside of htless with anticipation His eyes were dark, suddenly serious with the real question I reached up and brushed an unruly lock of hair off his forehead before I tilted ainst his, a question of h, and nodded I pulled hih to lock the door behind us and take a breath

Liaainst the dark He held out a hand and whispered, "Come here"

I swayed a little onar his slow s he aiting forfor , and he had never once wanted e

"The you that you were then, who you are noho you’ll be," he began quietly, as if sensing hts, "I love you With h to get, nothing will change forfeeling racing through ratitude I felt that fate had given hiain So I kissed hiain between breaths, as hein the world beyond us and the promise of forever

20

THE NEXT MORNING, HE WOKEdispelled and I was forced back into reality Liam pulled aith reluctance and reached for his clothes on the floor to start dressing I watched him for ahe wanted and loved the whole ht the pieces of n so beautifully sihtforward in what I felt for hi so i his aet up, too I couldn’t put off any longer the fact that he was leaving, but it didn’tkiss at the door

Liam and I were the first ones to the tunnel’s entrance that rab food froone back downstairs to say good-bye to Chubs and the others when Cole appeared atout of Alban’s old office Just before the door shut, he caught it with his foot and held it open, looking around the room His whole body seemed draith exhaustion, and there was a fresh cut on his left cheek

I pointed to the spot on his face "What happened here?"

"Ugh" Cole rolled his eyes, gave a sht out of Lee’s playbook, I rolled over in bed this "

"You actually slept?" I asked He turned toward h I knew it had to happen, that he couldn’t gokept secretshiokay?"

"Everything’s okay," he said "Felt better than I thought it would, to be honest Liah--the kid would love the hell out of a one-eyed, three-legged, bald dog if it wagged its tail in his direction Had to do ood five tihter inover his shoulder, its contents rattling ouns in there?"

"Purely precautionary," he said with a wink

"It better be This is surveillance, not an assault, reht his free hand around the back ofits curve "I’ll have hi my eyes "I mean it Pleasejust be careful"

"You, too," he said "Sorry to leave you to deal with the Little Prince again If he acts up, don’t be afraid to send hi to the water treat they need before they head out"

"Got it"

"Harry said he’d try to check in tonight around eight If we’re not back by then, can you ask him to lock down another five pounds of C-four? Tell hi the buses to take everyone back east and it’s a no-go"