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Me: Okay

Doc: Go to the west side of the city near Desingfield Blvd Do you knohere that is?

Me: I do You wantto be an earlycall Be there by four I won’t be at the place, but Moleney knows you’re coe

My lip twitches Evan Moleney Eest douche I’ve ever met I hate that he’s the one who picks her up froets to touch her and kiss her like I did during those brief moments when Emery and I didn’t knoho the other was

Me: What ae? Drop it off at the bar?

Doc: No Hang on to it for et Eun with you

Myme to walk away from this Maybe it’s time I’ll just take Emery and run Would she come with me if I did?

Instead, I text back

Me: Okay

I shove the phone into the pocket of aveE my ass off the sofa and walk down the hallway toward Emery’s rooled shapes and circular patterns The daives me the creeps and not just because I’ve seen the sy about it, soer on, thaton fire and watch it burn

I’ of the syuys have tried to convince me to tattoo the syree, yet never outright refuse, otherwise, I’ll come off as suspicious

I tap my knuckles on her bedroom door When I hear a muffled cry from the other side, I squeezethe brief tis for her Whenever she’s sad, scared, or in pain, it nearly breaks ers around the doorknob, I push the door open The lights are off, but a trail of h theand onto the bed E the wall, with her arms wrapped around herself

"I don’t want to talk anymore," she in to shake as she soundlessly cries

I yanknot to lose control over who I’m supposed to be at the moment Ryler orks for Doc--Ryler who cares about his jobelse Still, it’s hard to reirl with the saddest eyes fall apart right in front of ht, I slide onto the bed with her The ht as I scoot closer Her breath hitches in her throat, and her body goes as rigid as a board the secondtoward her back and tracing on the fabric of her shirt, Not going to hurt you I place my hand on her arm

She flinches from my touch, but doesn’t pull away Her skin is incredibly war in an uneven breath, I give her shoulder a soft tug When she rotates toward "

"I can’t tell you," she replies, her face hidden in the shadows