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Rydermy shoulders so he can pull me into his arms I feel safe there Protected Cared for

"Alan was so angry when he caed," I adainst his chest "And when I testified against him, he yelled at me in the courtroom, and the look on his face was pure evil"

"He yelled at you in court?"

"He didn’t like it, when I described how I fought him off on the stand It made him mad, that a female bested him"

"He sounds like a real piece of shit"

"He is" I pause again "He’s also just been released from prison"

"What?" Ryder shovesot to be kidding me"

"His sentence was reduced and they let him out early Or was it on a technicality? I don’t know" I shrug, tryinginside "He’s in upstate New York Father says I shouldn’t worry"

"Do you think … he’ll come after you?" His brows furrow in concern

"No I don’t know It’s so hard to explain You see …" I pause again and close ht words "Father didn’t want randmother didn’t want me to at first either, but I was deterain, and keep hurting innocent girls I couldn’t be responsible for that"

"Of course Jesus, Violet" He pulls ht, I al in his ar, baby Know that"

His words are ringing in my head when the cab finally stops and we cli and ride the elevator up to his floor There’s no door, no opulent lobby, and the elevator is old and rickety When we exit frohts are lit, and I glance around, surprised that he lives in such a place

He’s always dressed iured he’d live in a palace, an apartment as showy as Zachary’s because everyone knows Zachary loves to show off his wealth, even though he obtained plenty of it via credit

Ryder stops in front of a door with the number 426 on it and pulls a key out of his pocket I watch his niers as he unlocks the door and then holds it open forwhen he flicks on the light switch close to the door, illu within

"Home sweet home," he says sardonically as he closes and locks the door