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My whole body goes taut “Bad break up?”

She almost chuckles, then nods

I should’ve guessed it Why else would she be so daive her space, knowing the awful answer before I’ve even asked the question

"He hurt you?"

She closes her eyes, takes a breath “The word hurt doesn’t begin to describe what that asshole did to me”

The next tier with the green eyes I see the little girl she once was, black dress and bare feet on the grass I’ve never wanted to protect another person so fiercely I’ve also never wanted to kill someone so intensely But I swear, I could beat her ex-boyfriend to death

It irl But sending her off to fend for herself is no longer an option

“You can stay here until I leave,” I tell her

“When will that be?”

“I’ back into her limbs “Not for a few days, at least”

That seeh She shoulders her backpack and heads for the bedroo halfway there to say, “Thank you, Silas”

Hearing s to my stomach—and other body parts “Don’t mention it”

She closes the bedroom door, and I take the stairs up to the loft There, I find a tall dresser and a plush reading chair, plus the futon she promised I pull the futon out into a bed and then find a spare set of sheets in the dresser, alongside some men’s jeans and T-shirts that I can only assu all day, what I could use , hot shower

I check for towels in ten different places and come up empty Finally, I have no other option but to ask Norah where they are

I knock softly on the closed bedroouys keep the towels?”