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“That’s a good point,” he says softly “I do have an ie to protect But it’s funnyI don’t think there’s anyone around at the moment”

That’s true The pier is eth There are people up at the shops on Division Street But no one close enough to hear us if I yelled

My throat tightens

I don’t feel afraid very often I’m scared now Despite what I said, I don’t think Callum is weak He’s tall, powerfully built And above all, he’s staringwhat he should do He’s already decided

He gives a nod to his enforcer The boxer steps forward, fists raised Before I can speak or move, he’s hit Sebastian four times, twice in the face and twice in the body

Blood bursts froht back—all of ht in one way or another But where Dante and Nero took their practice to the streets, Sebastian’s interest has always been athletic, not violent Still, he ht and reach One of his punchesgoon blocks Sebastian’s other blows, before sla my brother in the kidney with a punch that round

The whole fight laststhere—I try to hit the guy fro him once in the ear He shoves me back with one hand, so hard that I almost fell over

So I launch ht in the jaw, then he shovesthe back of

Callum looks a little startled, like he didn’t quite mean to do that Then his face hardens, and he says, “Where’s the watch, you fucking degenerates?”

“We don’t have your watch,” Sebastian says, spitting blood onto the wooden boards of the pier

I do have the watch But I’ asshole

The boxer grabs Sebastian by the hair and cracks hiain The blow is so hard that for a second the light goes out of Seb’s eyes He shakes his head to clear it, but he looks dazed

“Get away fro to pull , andI bet there’s a lu back there

“Give ain

The boxer kicks roans and clutches his side The sight of thismind I want to asoline and set the curtains