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“You want to be with soly

Turning to face ed his uninjured shoulder and ducked his eyes “Way I was raised Can’t shake it Myall the daet it outta my head Love is patient Love is kind…’”

“It does not envy It does not boast It is not proud,” I whispered

Rider’s eyes looked up, softened and he shifted all the way around to faceIt is not easily angered It keeps no record of wrongs”

“Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”

We recited the scripture back and forth until the last line, when he spoke these words: “And now these three rereatest of these is love”

Our eyes locked, our bodies un, as the words took hold He was just like me

Lord, he was just like me… I did not know…

Letti shattered theabout?”

Coughing, Riderscripture First Corinthians”

“Hell, I know Mae’s from some damn nut-job cult, but I didn’t know you were too!”

I flinched at Letti’s words Nut-job cult? Is that what they all thought of me?

Rider gave nothing away He never talked about where he had come from or how he had been raised I was desperate to know The fact that Rider was like me made me feel as if I had a friend, someone who truly understood What I could not understand hy he was here, a part of a club like this, one of the Hangmen Styx had told uns, use violence on an everyday basis I could not see how that life fit with his faith But then again, I concluded that he was just like id bonds I wanted to try new things,existence Part of ain, hearing Rider recite that verse h! I just did not knoho or what I ithout The Order, without the duties of being a sister

Beauty instantly ju, but I could see it was forced Her blue eyes were tight and she kept glancing to Rider on the floor

“Coo”

“Go where?”

“We should leave Rider to rest Now, come on!” Her voice raised in volume to emphasise what she wanted me to do

“Oh, yes Rider, I am sorry We have probably outstayed our welcome We should—”

“You haven’t outstayed your welcome” He interrupted

I paused; relieved, I sat back down “Thank you”