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No one had ever said that to her before No one and she—

She didn’t kno she felt There was no ready response on her tongue She could only stare at him and realize that the curve of his lips looked sad

Because he understood He knew her better than any of the others ever had

A rap sounded at their door “Playtime’s over,” Zane called out

But Si Her hands shook as she pressed the snap of her jeans Her sex—inside, she could still feel hiain “The plan’s to attack tonight We go in under the darkness and we hit them fast and hard They—they won’t expect us” Thanks to Erin and sos she’d pulled, the story of their “death” had made the local headlines “If luck’s on our side, they won’t even knoe’re attacking until it’s too late”

“Grim will know” Certain

Her jaw locked “And he’ll die” Because this e—hell, why did it seem so empty now? Why, when she looked at Simon, did she just want to run to him and—

To run aith him

No Grim wouldn’t stop if they fled If he found out they were alive, he wouldn’t stop until they were dust

She couldn’t walk aith a monster like him out there Because there would be other families Like hers Like Nina’s

Nina

Was she still alive? Where was she? Dee had thought of her when the pain eased and the bloodlust lessened Zane had gone out scouting, but he’d found no sign of the woone after Grim Maybe she’d just run

Couldn’t blame her Not a bit

A harder knock shook the door “If we’re taking Grim out, we need to move”

Yet Simon stood, as still as a statue before her

Because he aiting on her to say so love you forever

But she didn’t knohat to say Her throat was tight Her heart nearly ripping through her chest

And she was afraid

When she loved, people got hurt

So Dee sed back the words that wanted to rise up and she held his stare, so scared of what he rabbed the clothes she’d lain out for hiood with feelings Never understood theeance Her life Those she understood

Love? That scared her Love led to pain She’d had enough pain

But when Simon had said he loved her…

Her heart had stopped Her breath had died

Dee didn’t knohat she felt for him She wanted him, needed him, and if anyone tried to hurt hi forever with so, stiff back

Her hands still trembled so she balled thes weren’t going to end like this