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“I want to be there” Red happens—”

“Penny won’t hurt ht, but she won’t”

“She doesn’t have control over him”

“No, probably not, but I’ll take that gamble”

He stared intobeats before the elevator reached the lobby The doors dinged open and several people in dress clothes stood there, waiting for us to get off Redmond didn’t pay them any attention He tookin the skin of ers, then released me

“All right It’s your decision” And he walked off with Palmira in his wake

I hurried after theest est

Chapter 19

Erin

A cold fog rolled off the river I stood gripping the uardrail and stared down at thethe concrete banks Behind me, cars rolled down the street and pedestrians walked the long river trail I stood in the spotlight of a street lamp and wished I was anywhere else in the world

Rederous, that I didn’t need to put myself at risk, and that there was no reason to put othim to let ive in

I was stubborn and stupid I should’ve let him handle this

I wasn’t ready Ever since I sold Penny to Kaspar, I’d gone overto find a flaw in , and no matter how many tiusting taste in ood reasons It didn’t matter at all

I did so terrible, and it didn’t matter that it’d worked out in the end

Penny should hate e of her own: a er with the words Fuck Off, Bitch ereed to talk, and ever since then I felt like I ht vomit at any moment

I looked over e Rover parked nearby Redmond sat next to her, silent and o the sidewalk

I turned away The river kept flowing I could be like that river—i, ceaseless I could bully

But ever since I was pulled into Redmond’s world, I wanted more

Cars parked nearby Four big, black SUVs I kneas in the on ed at the hem of my jacket and nervously fixed my hair

I couldn’t remember the last time I cared this much

The front door of the second car opened and Penny stepped out She said so to someone inside—probably Kaspar—then shut the door and came toward nize my sister