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"When do we start?" I asked

"Tomorrow if you can," Blake said

"My reed and Daemon said, "I’ll be there"

"Not necessary," Blake shot back

"And I don’t care You aren’t doing a da there" He faced the boy again "I don’t trust you Just so we’re clear"

"Whatever" Blake climbed out of the car Cold air rushed in, and I called out his name He stopped with his hand on the door "What?"

"How did you get away from the Arum when they attacked you?" I asked

Blake looked away, eyes squinting at the sky "That’s not so I’ed off toward his car

I sat there for severalDae under his breath and then opened his door, disappearing into the shadows surrounding the diner He’d leftinto the driveway, I killed the engine and sat back, closing ot out, took a step, and heard roan

Daemon had beatenhis eyes

I shook my head "Dae about hih his hair, and then slammed the cap back down "He co Every instinct is tellingfor any organization We don’t know anything about hi tired All I wanted to do was lay down "But at least this e can keep an eye on hih "There are other ways of dealing with him"

"What?" My voice rose and was carried away by the wind "Dae…"

"I don’t even knohat I’" He took a step back "And daht place at this moment" There was a pause "Why were you with hi so to eat and I was--"

"You hat?"

Soer trap Unsure of how to answer, I didn’t say anything That wasdawned, and he tipped his chin up For an instant, the green of his eyes darkened with raw eht with hi him to understand why I went to see Blake "Daemon--"

"You know, I’ and half bitter "We kissed Twice You spent the night usingit I’ out the ht to Boris, because he really doesn’tfor me scares the hell out of you"

My ht to Blake He textedto eat, and it wasn’t even a date, Daemon I went to tell hi down at me "He obviously likes you You’ve kissed hi to risk his own safety to train you"

"It’s not what you think If you’d let me explain…"

"You don’t knohat I think," he snapped

So awful unfurled in my stomach "Daemon--"

"You know, you’re unbelievable"

I was sure he didn’t ht of your party, when you thought I wasaround with Ash? You were so pissed that you went outside and bles, exposing yourself"

I flinched All true

"And now you’re doing--what? Messing around with hi me?"

But I like you The words wouldn’t leave my lips I didn’t knohy, but I couldn’t say theer and distrust and, worse yet, disappoint around with him, Daemon! We’re just friends That’s all"

Skepticisht line "I’m not stupid, Kat"

"I didn’t say that you were!" Irritation spiked, overshadowing the deep ache inAs usual, you’re acting like a freaking know-it-all and you keep cutting er probleh I’d been slapped, I took a step back "I’ret seeped through his anger "Kat--"

"No I was never your probleh me like an out-of-control forest fire "And I’m sure as hell not your problem now"

The s in his eyes to all those e in the dark And I knew I knew I’d hurt hiht possible I’d hurt him in a way much worse than he’d ever hurt me

"Hell This"--he waved his hand around et it"

He was gone before I could even finish my sentence Stunned, I turned around, but he was nowhere A pang hit me in the chest and tears filled my eyes as I turned back to my door

The sudden realization smacked me upside the head