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“Where did he take you?” Peter opens the car door for ently behind entleman

“I don’t know He just wanted to talk to me”

“About what?” Peter jue like it’s on fire He can’t getto puke This is the part where I have to decide who to trust and who to cut free I trust Peter, but I like Sidney I want to

I stare at the water racing by s I was told to say Sean will be deposited at the Babylon train station at ht and Marty will flee But that’s not ill really happen Instead, Marty will turn hies Marty will pay a few fines and everything will be like it was before, except now I know the truth Up until now, I thought the person I needed to be afraid of was Miss Black Now, she seems to be the least of my worries

Peter’s voice reaches through hts “Avery?”

“H at the causeway, and mentally drifted from the conversation

“So, no ransom?”

I shake my head “No, it was personal With Marty, it’s always been personal He loves me” He told me to say that It’s the only excuse for his behavior that everyone will sithout question “He tried to get ive him I said I couldn’t, that I love Sean” My voice cracks, because after all this tiet to tell someone the truth But it won’tback

I was full of it when I said I could take Campone’s place I’d be dead in a day Thatas he pleased The part of Sean that feeds on fear and control will thrive in that life I can’t let it happen, but I don’t knohat to do Glancing at Peter, I watch the side of his face, wondering if I should tell hi The Ferro family is full of devious people, but Peter isn’t a Ferro, not anymore

I could go to Constance for help, but it’s possible she’s already one of the players in this game Mel is a question mark, so is Gabe Amber and Naked Guy are dead because of this, because ofaway his cousin’s gift by doing this

I can’t allow it I won’t let him do this Somewhere inside Sean is a man that’s protective and will sacrifice himself to save everyone else He did it to save theit to saveto Peter, we’re passing Babylon Village and getting farther east I didn’t even ask where we’re going I just got into his car and let him drive

“Peter, I need to ask you so”

“Shoot”

Once I say these words I can’t take them back Peter has a life ahead of him Peter escaped this life and all the crap that comes with it But without him, Sean will die He’ll fall deeper into Hell and become the demon he thinks he is “Peter, I—”

Before I can tell hihts up on the screen “Oh, thank God” Peter clicks the green button and answers on speaker “You had us worried, bro Avery said he didn’t want you You ok?”

“I’m fine” Sean sounds pissy, but doesn’t co to blindside them all Every one of Ca from a bullet wound They won’t see what hit the a lot more than he said, thatto scare me I’m in Babylon, at the train station Any chance you could head this way”

“No probleh I’ll be there in ten” The line goes dead Peter lets out a sigh of relief “I couldn’t stand to lose hih He doesn’t talk about it much, but Amanda’s death hit him really hard, and the trial nearly destroyed him Sean wants to be a pillar of steel, but he’s not No one can hold it together that long and not break If I didn’t have Sidney,” he shakes his head and lets out a nervous laugh Glancing at ?”

Peter turns onto Montauk Highway, heading toward the station My gut squeezes hard He’s going to lose Sean There’s no way to get out of this and keep Peter’s fa

“Avery?”

“I can’t tell you” I look over at hi that I could

“Are you in trouble?” Peter’s worry lines crease deeper as he glances from me to the road He slows his approach to the station “Talk to me Maybe I can help”

“I know you can help, but it’s bad, Peter” Staring at et his advice without involving him, but flounder “I’m in some messed up stuff, up to my neck”

“We’ve all been there Talk to me, I can help”