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It was generic, probably had come with the apartment

I turned and looked at my backpack that sat on the dark comforter in the center of the ot out of the dress, feeling like the material was permanently stuck to me because of the blood I let it drop to the floor unceremoniously as I reached into my backpack and pulled out a T-shirt and a pair of shorts

Once I was in the bathroom, I wasn’t surprised to see a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, sha on the counter All unused I could’ve i kept here against my will But I wasn’t stupid I knew that man—Leonid—was bad Very bad And for whatever reason, Arlo wanted to protectto offer, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth in my situation

I couldn’t pay hi me safe I could barely even afford to keepfroranite bathrooI didn’t want to look at my reflection I didn’t want to see blood on ht

So instead I ignored the rabbed the shampoo and body wash, went into the shower, and cranked it on as hot as I could stand it

I scrubbed myself for twenty minutes until my skin was raw and red, until it was numb, and washed away any remnants of death With my shirt and shorts on, I climbed into the bed, pulled the blanket over my head, and then let the darkness take me away

So open, ht I didn’t see scary faces surroundingheld down and blood covering me I couldn’t reht me down and try to keep me there

I pushed the blanket offfro in the sah theEven though I knew the hectic-day life was in full gear just outside the glass and steel, I didn’t hear honking cars or the thick life of traffic I inhaled and smelled the faintest hint of lavender and lemon

I heard another sound come from outside the room, and I stared at the closed bedroo myself out of bed and into the bathroom After I used the restroom, I brushed my teeth and washeddark hair was in unruly waves and cascading downmy cheeks My hair was evento tarabbed a hair tie fro the long fall off my shoulders and into a ponytail

The bags under n against my too-pale face But it didn’t matter I wasn’t about to enter a beauty contest I was quite literally trying to stay alive So fuck it if I looked like the living dead

I left the bathrooht, headed toward the bedroo control I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway but didn’tto control , just the stillness of the apart But then I shookstupid A quiet house should be the least unnerving thing going on in ht now

I stopped at the end of the hall and saw part of the kitchen and living roo in my chest so loudly I wondered if it could be heard outside my body

There was a light sound of so set down, and I leaned to the side and looked into the kitchen There, sitting at the sht inthere shirtless, tattoos covering his body, some that were very clearly Russian

Bratva

It all fell into place as I took in the stars on his shoulders, the Russian-style cathedral tattooed in vivid, gorgeous detail in the center of his chest, and a Russian nesting doll inked on his entire right side He had ahis broad shoulders, biceps, forearms, and very defined chest