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"You!" Charlie shouts The boy pulls back, and Isis Blake looks up with surprised eyes

I yank onup every lesson of Gregory’s in rapid-ti in a desperate atte soht I broke her and I left her, and she is free to kiss whomever she wants She deserves to be in love hoht I have no right She is not ave up that chance, he is better than me, he is kind to her, he has to be kind to her or I’ll rip out his throat –

Isis s a hand up "Hey, Tiny-Balls What’s up?"

Charlie raises his hackles "Tiny what? Screw you, bitch!"

I’e for hiets in Charlie’s face, his shadow looreen eyes furious

"What did you just say to her?"

Before Charlie can throw a punch, I step between theht as me, but his shoulders are much broader, and his core radiates– I didn’t think she’d go for one of the on cas

"I apologize," I say icily "For my friend’s behavior He doesn’t kno to rein hilance at Isis over the boy’s shoulder, and our eyesin until she looks away first The thought of her kissing hienuine want, ht to feel this way

"Kieran," Isis says "It’s okay! Really I know the evens out, his eyes never leaving ain –"

"He won’t," I say Charlie opens his ue but I shoot him the deadliest look I can, and he falls silent I turn back to Kieran and Isis "We’ll be leaving My apologies for interrupting your evening"

It’s the first ti distance in weeks Her cheeks are thin and sallow, though she tried to cover them up with blush The dark circles under her eyes are so obvious it’s painful to look at But through all the pain she is lovely, irl I’ve seen – all red silk and dark-lined, cat-like cinna of my senses I practiced in order to endure Brittany shatters, crus to hold her, to stroke her wild hair, to kiss away her frown lines and bruises

Charlie breaks the es towards the car I put an arm on Kieran’s shoulder, and soften entle with her Be good to her She’s a very special girl"

"To you?" Kieran eneral," I say instead "She s to many people We all want to see her be happy"

Kieran is quiet Isis shuffles nervously behind hiuy, huh?"

"What?"

"The one she talks about," Kieran sucks in a breath "Damn, dude, do you kno fked up she is? How uilt his words punch into me I stride over and touch her left wrist

"What happened to your ar everywhere but at ? Isis, there’s blood –" I swear under erly pull back the stained sleeve and reveal the indented teethwith dark blood "Who did this to you?"