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I wish I had kissed Cain today Just one last kiss Will he care that I’ain? Will he figure out that I’un, see Manny’s hands, see his finger on the trigger as it pulls I ju sound but otherwise stay still Stay frozen How? I don’t kno have I not lost consciousness now?

"Damn clip Not sure how many bullets I have in here," Manny murmurs with a cruel sround At least I think I do My senses are sharper and at the saames It’s unnecessary"

"You are an odd one," Mannystuff in from Mexico They drop to their knees forBut you" His jaw offsets as he pondersdown to ainst rit h I’ll bet you’d cry by the end That’s all right, though" With the gun still pressed painfully against rab hold of an inner thigh I can feel the heat froers as he squeezes my flesh painfully hard "I’lldeep insideoverturns shallow

And I know that shock has settled in

Shock is good

Shock will get h this

Eddie’s still talking in the background "This is good stuff, Manny Don’t burn this bridge for us right out of the gate" He’s sitting on the bed, his hand over the suitcase, his face calm but his eyes full of wariness

At first I don’t think Manny heard hihing his options I iine I knohat they are: on one side of the scale is a valuable ships that he could walk out of here with for free, but have to deal with a body and possible repercussions; and on the opposite side is a long-ter-terood on his proood All here," Bob says, thuh the multitude of vials "Let’s finish this up and move on We don’t need a mess to clean up"

"Just remember this moment if you ever think to co, hard look at my face, Manny drops his arm and steps away I don’t allow myself to take a full breath, even as Bob hands le to keepsure they’re not just newsprint or blank paper Though, really, I don’t see what the point is If these guys want to rip Big Sam off, they easily can If they want to rape ators, they can do that too Manny’s right Young women are used as expendable mules across borders for small deliveries, not to co ood," I h my throat is bone dry I throw the strap overwarped, my vision blurry as it focuses intently on the door

"Look forward to seeing you again," Manny calls out with a wicked voice as Bob walks me to the door As I step out, a fist seizesI want to do is talk to hilancing over his shoulder, as if he doesn’t want theood use of that bed, do you understand?" He speaks in a low, fast, harsh whisper "Get the fk away fro the heat from your club friends when you turn up dead" He releasesquietly behind hi of e that I was seconds away froht

Chapter thirty-seven

CAIN