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Charlie turns toward ainst my neck As serious as the moment is, my blood instinctively floard I don’t knoon her thigh like that and the swirl of raw e in my chest

"But why Miami?"

"Miami is known for its open-minded laws in the adult entertainment district A lot of cities out there restrict nudity, or alcohol with nudity, or the types of dances you can get Not Miaer in one hand, a beer in the other, and a coured a city like this--with such liberal laould breed a lot of Lizzys It needed at least one club oas looking out for the girls Someone to balance out the worst of them

"So, I opened up a se I was just learning about the industry Hell, I was too young to be opening up a club to begin with But it did well because I put no restrictions on the girls, asthat is legal but nothing more, and I make sure they’re safe" Da curve over those first fewThe Bank! Luckily, I’reat source of infored fight--which I won and he made a boatload of money from--he letthe ropes He wanted to partner up with me when I left for Miami but I declined Instead, John fronted the business as the owner, on paper, until I turned twenty-one I knew I could trust hiht by ht by my little sister"

"So this is all about a second chance?"

"No It’s about trying to balance out the good with the bad I don’t believe in second chances, Charlie"

There’s a long moment of silence and then she asks, "China reet so lance, I adine is a sheepish sreat with you"

"That’s an understatement" Charlie chuckles

It’s probably ti her with ht, she has learned that I was bred and raised by crier to brutal violence, that I lie to women and then fk them, and that I was the world’s shittiest brother

And she’s curled up against me like she still wants to be here

I can save the worst of it for another day

She stands and walks over to lean against the railing of the pier, barefoot If not for the full moon, I likely wouldn’t be able to see much of her but thanks to it, I can enjoy the view of her silhouette with the ocean in the background There’s a breeze, just enough to send a few strands of her hair into disarray and the

I h of loom in my voice It’s after three and I don’t want to leave, but I noticed the dark circles under her eyes I ier told me she came home a few hours after the incident with her assailant with a tear-streaked face

Turning slowly to faceyou’ve told me so far makes me think badly of you"

An unexpected wave of relief crashes into ether as she hesitates, as if she’d deciding whether she should say soain, she pauses and I see her jaw tense She suddenly looks away, blinking repeatedly Are those unshed tears I see?