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“You damn well better be careful out there If he hurts you, I will rip him apart with my bare hands I don’t care that I’ stitches I will burn everything to the ground to avenge you”

“Devil, I’ Donaldson out is more important than—”

“No Nothing is more important than you”

He kissedto him I prayed our plan would work We both needed this to end so we could relax and enjoy our ti to be okay We’ll take care of Donaldson, then we’ll come back here and…”

“But you believe in following instructions, and the doctor says I’m not supposed to—”

Joe scowled “We’ll figure out a way that won’t hurt you”

“Fuck right ill because if you think I intend to go days without fucking you, you’re out of your mind”

“I never thought you would, just like I knee couldn’t convince you to stay here while the three of us took care of things”

“Hell no… I swore to protect you, and I’ that”

“Let’s go get this over with”

We io near the place where we’d cut down the Christmas tree Oren led us deeper and deeper into the forest I triedsome noise even with the snow to cushion my steps Oren moved with eerie silence I would never have known he was there if I couldn’t see him It was impressive and also scary

When we turned a sharp corner on what I supposed Oren saw as a path—I could never have followed it on my own—he pointed to a small cabin, more of a shack really, with a dilapidated porch Smoke curled fro else to indicate so there

When I turned to whisper to Giorgio and Devil, Giorgio was already gone I hadn’t heard hi a tree to give hiround We waited until we heard a chickadee call, his signal that he was in place

Devil kissed me once more, then waited with Oren as I approached the shack The rotted wooden steps creaked as I cliive way, but it held as I stepped onto the porch My heart sla slow, steady breaths I could do this