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He shrinks back as if I’ve hit him, stares atunder his breath, he runs a hand over the back of his neck “This isn’t what I meant to happen I only … I wanted to tell you I’m sorry If I could take it back—”

“Stop, Kent This changes nothing”

“I still love you”

“Go back to Texas Just … go”

“The holidays are less than three weeks away We need to be together We’ll get our faain”

“Oh, please You were the catalyst that destroyed what family I had left This is ”

“Your father—”

“Is a bastard”

“He’s never gotten over losing your mother He uses Elizabeth—”

“Damn you, don’t say her name Don’t This conversation is over” I turn to leave

His hand comes down onto do with Kent and o,” Damion orders, his voice a cool command laced with a threat

I squeezefor ill happen next Kent lets go of me, and in the same instant Damion pullstoward the elevators For a dozen orelse htmare walk down memory lane is over

Reality co toward us Da each other in public, and Terrance is the one who called Kent Those two things represent another chapter of this nightmare

“Make sure he doesn’t get back on the property,” Damion tells Terrance as we meet up with him, and I take the momentary distraction of their conversation to dart under Damion’s arm and around Terrance

“Kali!”