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“So you thought it was okay not to tellfor him for weeks and never once mentioned he’d threatened you personally”

“You were already worried about howon the case, and you—”

“You should have toldfor him You should have told me the first time you received a letter What the fuck, Joe? I want to take care of you, to protect you I would never have brought us up here before I dealt with this threat if you’d told me—”

“It’s not yours to deal with, it’sup here” Devil took another step back, and I wanted to pull those words back and s them I didn’t mean what I’d said, and it wasn’t true Devil had told o on the trip, and I’d had ample opportunity to tell him before we reached the cabin

He wrapped his hand around ainst the wall I didn’t care that he was chokingmy broken heart was my own damn fault

Instead of worrying about how easily he could kill me, I prayed no one would notice us, but how could they not? The toas full of tourists walking back and forth along Main Street At least ere away from the bulk of the crowd

Devil’s hand tightened until instinct kicked in, and I started to struggle I should have been terrified, but all I felt was guilt and shame

Tears burned o of my throat and cupped my cheeks I readiedback home and ask me not to follow him? Would he—

He kissed ry, they weren’t harsh, they were sweet and soft, and so da theh only he could keep me alive And maybe that was true, maybe that was how much I needed him I realized if he’d chosen to walk away, if he’d decidedme had been a mistake, I wasn’t sure I could put the pieces of ether Devil was my world

Right there in that little Vermont town after I spilled ht I was all in before, and I had been in every practical way, but it was then I truly felt what it meant to become one with him, to drop all my barriers

When he broke the kiss, my tears flowed harder “I’m sorry I’m so sorry I should’ve told you I shouldn’t have come aith you I shouldn’t have—”

He brushed my tears aith his thumbs “Shhh I love you, Joe”

“I know I love you too I need you I… I wanted to keep you out of it, even though I kne stupid that was, but noe’re here, and he’s followed us, and you’re in as er as I am If he’s done any research at all, and I know he has, he knows har else he could do”