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My life has been full of supposed-to-bes and I’es closer Her arers clasp over ed into htened and that causes ht It could be the bike, but I don’t think it is She loved it e first rode She was flying in the seat, but this tio of a handlebar and lay esture to reassure her that she’s not alone

Emily

THE VAGUE MOONLIGHT disappears and a cooler patch of air drifts along ht froht returns and battersmy cheeks

A chill within me forms ice in my bloodstream I was so cold in that hole as a child that I shook uncontrollably and I couldn’t stop My teeth chattered and ain That I’d be frozen forever

Heat rolls off Oz and I press into him as if there was space left between us I’ is okay

The motorcycle slows then Oz eases it backith his feet as he parks He slips off the bike and offersout so I don’t touch any burning part of the engine

"Good girl," Oz says

"For what?"

He inclines his head to the bike "For not hitting the exhaust It’d be a shaet a Harley scar to match mine"

"I’ers "You are"

Attenore the darkness and the claustrophobia it creates, I strangle Oz’s hand "Are you okay? With what happened with Olivia?"

A shadow darkens Oz’s face and I iht you here so we could escape Is that okay?"

Meaning he doesn’t want to talk about her "That’s okay"

Oz flips off the headlight and a shts a door to a trailer My expression falls and I try desperately to hide it, but the annoyed set of Oz’s jaw inforo"

Oz drops my hand He walks forward and I sprint to catch up It’s too dark out here Too et lost and never be found We cli wood beneathon the top layer

Oz sorts through his keys and with each second we rehten Hair stands onout to snatchto suck ether, silently willing Oz to move faster He’s already unlocked the dead bolt, now he’s undoing the actual handle

Please hurry up, please hurry up, please-- The lock gives, Oz places his hand on the knob and I push open the door, practically ju over Oz to enter