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"It went great," Bianca said, wonder in her voice "She really liked hilance at ot a screw loose

Ia smile "Of course she did What’s not to like about Mr Frownypants?"

I alhed so heartily that I instantly forgave him "Let’s take the elevator," I said when Rayford headed for the spiral staircase to the second floor

Bianca looked startled "Elevator?"

"The y," said Rayford, like I wasn’t two feet behind hi here,aof dead bodies," I muttered under my breath

"Here we are!" Rayford stopped in front of the sleek brushed silver elevator doors, pretending like he hadn’t heard lower I sent in his direction, however, or the Leave us alone! I transmitted directly into his brain

After aliven

In one of the most unfortunate turns of phrases I’d ever heard, he said, "I’ll leave you two rabbits to it!"

He pressed the "Call" button on the elevator and went on his way down the hall, his footsteps and jaunty whistle echoing off the ot into the elevator When the doors slid shut, Bianca said doubtfully, "Rabbits?"

I sighed "I’d fire him, but he’s my only friend"

"I’m your friend, too," she said

When I looked down at her, she glanced away and started to chew the inside of her cheek

Friends That should have madeWhich is how I realized this lie of convenience was much h my hair and blew out a breath

Bianca said quietly, "Was that the wrong thing to say?"

"No Of course not Why do you ask?"

"Because when you get really aggravated, you stab your hands through your hair"

"I do?"

She nodded "And you bristle You literally get larger so animal sounds and have serial killer eyes"

"What a charmer," Iat the ceiling

My ears perked up, but I didn’t want to sound too eager, so I said with ut After you stopped ot past all the hair and your generally disheveled, hobolike appearance, it was the first thing I noticed about you"

What a strange tingle that was, skittering over o slower

My silence prompted her to add, "And you have a really beautiful voice If you ever decided not to be a layabout rich person, you could have an incredible career as a phone sex operator"

Holy fuck She thought I had a sexy voice

For a second I stopped breathing After s remembered what their normal function was, I said, "Layabout?"

The elevator doors opened Neither of us ht That was rude What’s an inoffensive word for idle?"