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We shared a laugh that had very little humor in it I pushed off the buet theto do with Novak’s business”

“I don’t want you anywhere near Novak, Bax Jail won’t be his answer to dealing with you this time around Don’t be stupid, son”

We shook hands and I tried to draw a picture in iven me Race knew about Dovie His dad wanted her dead Old Man Hartman had asked Novak to kill her Dovie was still around, Race had helped kidnap the old ot arrested, and so back to town and subsequently disappearing He had to have dirt on Novak; so back to the Point for a whole year beforeto think he had purposely waited until I was out, until I was free to make hiswas clear—I was a pawn in all of it I had given up five years of oal and that just pissed me off I didn’t like to be used by anyone, ever

I was running it over and over again while I drove to the school to get Dovie She told me just to wait for her in front of the main doors and she would be out at ten sharp Only she was already waiting for ot there, and my blood heated up when she yanked open the door on the opposite side of the car and slammed it shut ay more force than necessary Her pretty mouth was screwed up in a pout and there was a flush under the freckles on her cheeks She was upset about soet her naked and play connect the dots

“What’s up?”

She tossed her head back against the seat and fixed her eyes on ot darker and deeper when she was feeling soly They did that when I e, is iuy, I hate whoever Novak is, and I’ me into the middle of this”

“You need lared at me

“Not from you”

I ht I’d missed her the last couple of days She ht a peek of her creamy throat There was a very visible hickey on the side of it, and it all came back to ht

“Would you take it froly nodded and crossed her ar after she was just a fraction of aTake the da to a good cause”

“I’m not a charity case”

“Are you sure about that?” I liked to rile her up It was fun to watch her get all huffy and puffy “Hoas your weekend with the kids?”

She looked atto set her up, but I really was curious I didn’t know anyone inof others She was like a saint or so saint

“It was fine Everyone was on good behavior, which is rare They all thought your car was boss”

I chuckled “My car is boss”

She moved some of her hair out of her face and bit her bottom lip I wanted to replace her teeth with hbor, said you promised him a ride He asked hed a little as we got to the house “You should still take him for a ride It would et excited about”

I climbed out and followed her to the front door “I’ll think about it”