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Raize tensed behind me I could feel his breath

“If I hadn’t decided, well, you know—another life, another world, and I’d be in college by now Maybe a sopho on it “You said you were going to destroy his operations What are you going to do about the women?”

“That’s important to you?” His forehead went tome I don’t think he realized

My tongue felt heavy I blinked a few times, and there was a wetness there I didn’t want “It is”

His voice got rough “It have to do hy you started this life?”

Oh, damn He went there

Thiswas just so weird

“Yes,” I whispered

“We can take them to a shelter, wear ski masks so they can’t identify us”

My knees al for the table so I didn’t fall

Raize caught ainst my back

I could feel how long it’d been since he’d had sex I don’t know if he meant for me to feel it, but I was I remembered how it felt when ood, so distracting

A slight growl left hi in one more time before he peeled himself away from me “Shoot some more I want you to feel comfortable”

Coun, turneduntil I’d eain

We went to eat lunch after both of us had shot all of our weird emotions away—or that’s what I hoped I’d done

17

Ash

There was a neareness between Raize and me

It was different It was uncomfortable

I al ht about that—nope I shuddered

Anyway, there was no coone I’d told him too much I couldn’t backtrack if I tried

The neareness was just there

And actually, that neareness had been developing for a while now