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A cloud of s I’hter in his back pocket then flicks the top and burns the end of his cigarette "Because you probably won’t It’s a little personal"

I frown as I ash arette on the asphalt "Do we really have to do this? You knoe could always keep tiptoeing around it like we have been"

He stares at the end of the alley "You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to, but I need to ask"

I suck a slow inhale fro as possible just to avoid answering hih the air as he rearette from his lips "I want to knohat happened with Conner and why he was here today"

My head slue ofto ask that"

"You don’t have to answer, but that night… Well, it’s kind of been haunting ot to talk to you about ent on and I wasn’t sure if you, you knoere in trouble or so"

"Not anymore," I utter quietly

He pauses "Is he… I mean, I know he’s your ex-husband, but how?"

I keeptoo close to the truth "Hohat?"

"How did that happened?" he asks "Iht surround us froht cast shadows across his features "He wasn’t always that way He’s been ertip along the finger that once had a ring on it I swear I can still see the tan line there, like it wasn’t two years ago when I last wore it "And he showed up here today, but it hile I wasn’t around, so I didn’t see him"

"You’ve been divorced for two years" He’s stunned beyond shock "How old were you when you got o Be put off You justup at the night sky and the stars I puff onto offer hi to tell hiet Mason involved in this… whatever this is--I’ers on the side of his leg "I don’t really blaht"

If only he kne insignificant that night was compared to the shit that went on Toward the end was the worst

Toward the end is when he broke me

And then I nearly broke myself

"Yeah, he’s kind of an assle" I smile stiffly "Which is why I try to avoid hi order I’ve had on hiuy He walked straight into thatwhat he was getting into, just like he’s doing now

"You knoe can go back inside if you want" I give hily painful conversation

He stares down at his half-sainst the night When he looks up at nize "You knoasn’t the first tiht?"

"The first time what?"

"That I’ve had a knife pulled on me"

I’m not sure if he said it to make me feel better about my dark past or not, but I kind of do and kind of like hi them up quickly

"When? I mean, when else did you have a knife pulled on you?"

He cups his hand around his side where Conner cut hi deals and shit"

"How are you doing with that stuff?" When Tristan winces, I add, "Or is that too personal of a question for ?"

"No… it’s okay I asked you stuff so it’s only fair you should get to ask arette then s with you and I happened But when I went home…" He shakes his head "I al to slip up every single day"

"That’s good, though, that you haven’t slipped up And that you’re trying to stay sober"

"Don’t get too excited I’ve tried to stay clean a lot of times already"

"So, at least you try," I tell him because he looks so dejected It’s a side of hi to explore it--to help hiives et clean?"

I shrug, scuffing e reasons to get ether"

He waits forto The reasons are too personal and honestly I’o That oman Unstable Just likeI never wanted to be

"You know, I thought about getting your phone nu you the note instead Figured it ree with you on that one It’s probably for the best that you didn’t find round and put it out with the tip of my boot "Because I broke my rule with you and that was the only ti the bottouy rule?"

I nod, inching toward the door with every intention of leaving because this conversation is getting way too heavy and deep "That kiss was never supposed to happen And not because I’ It’s just…" I trail off and then clear o any further "But, yeah, like I said, I should have never kissed you It was very wrong of uy again"

He steps towardthe space between us "Ever?" His forehead creases as he angles his head to the side, looking utterly confused and at the saued

I wonder if he’s put two and two together

Two years It’s been two years since a guy touchedunattached is the best thing for so ti ith that rule for two years until you ca," I press and his lad you stepped in when you did No one’s ever done that for me, but still that kiss…" I should step back ht, but e "It was forbidden"

"Forbidden" The word rolls off his tongue as he dares another step toward me

I place a hand on his rock solid chest to stop hiain"