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I didn't kno long we drove, but it was done in silence I looked over at Arlo again, seeing and sensing the change in hiot to wherever our destination was His body was tighter, his concentration sharper He had retreated to some hidden part of himself where e and only had cold, dead calculation as his coht about this too hard, I’d have to retreat into h this

It was another five minutes before Arlo finally slowed and pulled the BMW into the cracked and uneven parking lot where an old casino sat It didn’t even look like it was still operating for business, but there was a flickering light above the scarred and faded front door, like a welcoh to enter

Hewhere no light touched before turning around so he faced the street He cut the engine, and we sat in silence for long seconds as he stared at the back of the casino, both of us plunged into darkness so shapes were distorted and reality didn’t quite look how it should

“Arlo?” I whispered his na him

“You’ll stay in the car, Galina” He looked at me then, the first tilove box, a di up the density of the blackness He pulled out a gun and held it to lanced froe clear

Use this if anyone fucks with you

I reached out and took the gun, our fingers brushing together for a split second before the contact was broken The weight of the weapon was substantial as I stared down at it, the er I held it I kne to shoot, had to learn at a young age But this weapon was heavy in ht sheen of perspiration cover my forehead

“Arlo, let’s just go,” I suddenly said and snapped o and forget this” I was raht now I couldn’t control ht now I need to be strong I’d never let fear controlhurt—or worse—this cold terror encompassed me

“Moy svet,” heto be afraid of I won’t let anyone hurt you” His jaw tightened “I won't let anyone take you from me”

I shook my head because he’d misunderstood me “I don’t care about me I can’t lose you,” I said and was i to e had, to let it be a weakness, but here I was, begging him to leave with me so there wasn't a threat that he’d be taken from me

“My sweet Galina,” he whispered and cupped my face as he leaned in and kissed my lips softly, then the tip of my nose, and finally settled onand smell of him surround me until that hard panic started to lessen

“Not even death can take me from your side” He pulled back and looked ain, and I nodded, although I wanted to tell hiuarantee that No one was immortal or invincible No one could predict when or how they died, or stop it But when Arlo said it with such stony determination and finality in his voice, it was hard not to believe that if anyone could defy death itself, it was him

“Tell me you understand” His voice was hard, as if he expected me to comply no matter what, to believe my words even if they were a lie

It was hard to breathe, let alone speak, but I ed to say, “Okay I understand that you’re crazy” I was the one to lean in and kiss hiainst mine

“U nas yest' vsya nasha zhizn', chtoby byt' pravyer over ether” And then he was out of the car, the locks engaging, sealing un in h I told hio into that situation alone There was no way I’d let his safe for me