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"So this is really your dog?" I kneel beside Razor and Lars pads over to me I pet his head as Razor continues to run his hand over the length of the dog’s back

"When I was a kid, Cyrus’s wife, Olivia, used to watchLars with me to her house When Mom died, I lived here for a while Dad split after the funeral, and when he returned, he was a ot h in hi"

My heart honest-to-God breaks Like someone reached into my chest, ripped it out and has cracked it in two "What happened?"

"To the dog or rin like what he admitted doesn’t

"Both," I answer seriously, and he frowns, unhappy that I’ him the easy route

"We both know I’m fucked-up"

"That’s not true--"

"Olivia kept Lars," he cuts h anyhow, so it’s not like I didn’t see hiot he was mine and he becahter, Emily, returned to Florida, Eli had Euy "Why?"

Razor stops petting Lars and the dog whines as it peeks pathetically up at him "Because Emily needed a reminder of this place htens and then takes my hand "Which means if Lars is here, then so is Eo prove to you that some of the Terror are noro, boy"

There’s this mixture of adrenaline and pure fear and I’h s toward the enor on the other side of the property The closer we get, the less nor--this clubhouse--it’s a huge two-story garage, or at least it once was Both of the doors are raised and uidesinto a de the left side anda cut with a patch on the back of it that reads Prospect is behind the bar accepting orders

Neon signs are everywhere and so are bras Lots of bras They are tacked up on the wall, lying across the shelves behind the bar, and I try not to think of Violet’s mother

The place smells of stale beer and hs too loudly and so do some of the men My hair stands on the back of my neck as instinct screams to leave

Razor stops short and I have to adjust quickly so I don’t collide with his shoulder Two little blond-haired boys are chased by a girl ofas they weave fearlessly through the towering men There’s pure joy on their faces and I tilt irl