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She rose to her feet “You don’t need to do anything about that Just I would have If he’d let me”
If he’d let me The words were heavy and toxic as lead I would have done what I wanted, except he still controlled es, and everything I have done and become, I wouldn’t have left you to him except that Marco still controlshiht
“All right,” Filip said His expression was empty
Naoht the knuckles ached She made herself relax “Give me a day I’ll know more”
“Come to the club,” Filip said “If we’re not there, just wait and we’ll ”
I thought I could stay with you, she thought, and then hated herself for the disappointment she felt This wasn’t a reunion Her unfinished business with Filipelse So-lost mother back into his world If she wanted to sit with him and eat sweets and share stories the way they never had, that was her problem
“Fair enough,” Naomi said She hesitated, then turned to the door As she reached it, he spoke again, his voice tight Like the words were hard to say
“Thank you for co”
She felt it in her sternu a hammer to the bones over her heart Filip watched her from the table He looked so ine that she had ever been that young herself Tried to ie she would have kno to pick words that were that perfectly e and cruel She felt the smile press her lips out a millimeter It was an expression of sorrow more than joy
“He told you to say that,” she said “Didn’t he?”
There were a hundred ways to unpack the boy’s silence
After the Gamarra, Marco had come home drunk and happy from his celebration She’d told him to be quiet, not to wake the baby Marco had swooped her up in his ar her in the little room until her ankle hit the bed and she yelped with pain He’d put her down then, rubbing the little injury Kissing it He’d looked up at her with a sht about whether they couldThat hat she’d been thinking of when he destroyed her
“Managed it, us You, que si?”
“Managed what?” she asked, leaning back against the gel of the bed
“Got even for Terryon Lock,” Marco said “Stood up for the Belt For us For him”