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"But Gidge, you have to let people help you You can’t live in a vacuuet that too And maybe one day I’ll trust soain, but not today" I turn and look up at him "That day is not today I need a little independence, Ronin I need to be able to think for ive in to you after our date at the zoo and the night we spent together afterward But then I saw you with that other girl and I realized that I’ht now I need a little more time, I need a little more control"

I relax back into his chest and we think things through in the silence

"Well," he says a little while later, squeezing hter "I’m sorry you had to see Clare andher, Rook I’ve never dated Clare She’s Antoine’s niece and she’s a , that’s her apart Antoine calledand I should’ve just told you as up before I left you in bed, but I didn’t I’ that happened yesterday was ive hiot a lot of proble her to check herself into rehab, so I stayed with her to make sure she didn’t leave before the people caht now, hopefully she’ll stay there and cora’s helped"

He shrugs underneath me

"She stresses us all out, you know? It’s like, on the one hand we just want her to go away and kill herself somewhere else so we don’t have to watch But we can’t let go We let her co I don’t think she’s gonnalike you That day you showed up for your test shoot was the first tih Antoine never lets her do anything but fashion and glamour shoots, we set her up for that sexy artistic shoot for one reason only So I could check her body for indicators And if I found anything that even hinted she was still using, ere gonna fire her for good

"You take away the job, you take away the s That’s how it’s supposed to work, right? How it should’ve worked with Mardee, too The tough love routine And s so to it" He stops to exhale a long breath of air

"But that day you showed up here I checked her over in the dressing roo track marks between her toes"

Ronin just shakes his head and pauses for a few seconds "That’s a pretty bad sign And we have no delusions, but Antoine figures we can’t give up So, I’ry If ever there was a girl as tragic, it’s Clare Chaput, not Rook Walsh" Ronin sits up and takes et You’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen And I never want to see you in that ugly-ass TRAGIC costuain, but if you need this, and if you want to do the Shrike Bikes body art bullshit so you can stash a shitload of et soain, then just do me one favor"

"What?" I ask

"Let h to the other side intact"

I smile and whisper, "Thank you"

"But make me one promise, OK?"