Roman

s thrumming against my ribcage, yet it fail

ooth with two frien

hing at a joke

tared at

fidante, nudged me sh

a. You look like y

ired,"

eshed

here

official De Luca

cap

an

d, while Isobel perched on the armrest, one

a, looking fragile and

looking at

the book, but his

est

ge that screa

old the allianc

a, who had been reading ove

tasting like ash in my mout

to rub her feet. Where are you in this picture? Oh, that

ne and placed it fac

ing is of

ir, heavier than the sm

nds fel

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d anyone yet.

rink and downe

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ft e

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my shoes in

was

sofa, his jacket dra

ast him, the

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sweet, heavy

him like a

he said, withou

old—the voice o

with friend

a question. "It is unbecoming for my future wife

fr

ed to

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I di

o play

wo mor

y, Dante,

and walked

earching for cra

rrow. A sit-down. It concerns the

it-

r negotiations with e

said. "Put it i

e bedroom and

ainst the wood a

lled l

with her, while I sat in a bar

and scrubbed my hands unt

ouldn't wash t