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“I still don’t understand why you’d want to spend soher nose “Aren’t you scared of ending up dead or the object of some creeper’s obsession?”

I laugh and closeto my room,” I say I kiss her on the forehead, my laptop tucked under my arm “I’ll see you tomorrow, ’kay?”

There is no point trying to explain it to someone who doesn’t understand I’ve always been interested in the psychology of cri I’d spend ure out the motives, and an to planto study Even without the financial support ofit happen

Nothing was going to get in the way of my dream

Chapter Three

Lucas

I slam the door to my apartment and toss the keys on the kitchen counter A note froet some more food, dickwad” I pick it up and screw it into a ball, tossing it in the bin I don’t give a da on h, he’ll do it like he always does Sucker

My adrenaline still puhI had to think about today washer say his na her say it with such adh—she has no idea who he is to me, or what he did to my family

Shit, this is bad

The last tirandain it would be too soon Maybe it’s a coincidence, but if it is, then it’s a pretty big one It has to be a coincidence There’s no way in hell he’d even interview Lacey for the position if he knew she was my best friend He was the one who made it clear that we had no relationship All I’ve done is make sure of it

Stalking over to the balcony, I yank the door open and walk outside The cool, fresh air hits me like a punch in the face I didn’t notice it was this cold when I was outside five o, but I’m on the twenty-fourth floor It’s the end of October in Sydney: almost summer, but you wouldn’t know it That’s Sydney weather for you Yesterday was forty degrees and tomorrow it’s supposed to hail

I reach up above the air conditioning unit and ing down the half-full packet of Dunhills, I pull one out, along with the sarette between hter to the tip and breathe in

As soon as the sainst the brick exterior ofthat surrounds the small outside space I haven’t smoked in years, and I can taste it in this decade-old pack Each stale breath I draw in burnsmanner

I can’t stop thinking about my father, and Lacey About the way her face lit up when she said his na to race? Is her eyebrow going to twitch the way it does when she gets nervous? Will he say soer pulsates through s I’ fun of her about, and one of the s about her that I love

The worst thing is, I can’t say or do anything about this whole fucked-up situation I can’t tell her not to go to this interview or she'll demand to knohy—and I’m not ready to feel the pity I know that conversation will bring No matter how much I convince myself that I’ you ever get over—especially when you could’ve done so to avoid it