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Silence again We walked for a long ti seagulls because the tension and hurt between us was brutal I wished I kne to , and the Valentine’s Day visit, but we’d need to build up to that

Up ahead, not too far, was a pier and a carnival A tall Ferris wheel towered over the shore The beach close ahead was filled with people I felt the need to stop and say so before ere surrounded by crowds

"Kai?" I put ently halt him He tilted his head to the side with a hard expression, but at least he didn’t pull away froan E rose insidemy words "I don’t understand what you expected , even pushed me toward someone else I know I hurt you, but I never meant to It was one kiss, Kaidan Abecause of it It’s unfair"

"Don’t talk tois ever fair Ask your father" As soon as he said it, he winced and closed his eyes

"My father?"

And that’s when it hit

Myme from the inside I couldn’t speak

Dad did this

"He told you to stay away fro to ree you, the re cleared my head"

Kai had wanted to callbelieve this," I whispered I pressed ers to my temples and walked a s out for me He’d let me believe Kaidan didn’t care anymore He’d betrayed me and threatened the boy I loved--a boy who already lived in enough fear

"I won’t tell him that you told ry at Kaidan

"Belial was only de as best It’s what needed to be done" With his toe, he nudged a sand crab that had been uncovered by a wave, and it scurried under the sand "You’re safe That’s whatover oose buining hoe could ht when I saw you in Atlanta was terrible And then after you ca with you was not what I had in mind for today" I stopped to s "I can’t take back what happened in Australia, but I hope you can forgiveme an excuse to close my eyes

"So, what is it that you want, Anna?"

That felt like a loaded question And suddenly I was afraid of putting ain Like a coward I responded, "If nothing else, I need you as a friend and an ally"

"You want to be friends?" Kaidan lifted his eyes tomore than friendship Allies, yes, but not friends If you can showleft, then we can be friends"