d faces. Eva stood at the counter, water dripping from the hem of her dress onto

e wrote on he

at Eva. She didn't ask questions. People at bus stations at two in the m

ves in ten mi

ate and boarded the bus, keeping her head down. She chose a seat in the

ack. The bus began to fill up. A young mother with a crying baby. An old m

in the bus s

e a dark canvas jacket and boots that looked heavy enough to crush bone. His

er the passengers with a sharp, predatory precisio

st the cold window. Please don't

us was full. The only empty seat wa

too long. His eyes were dark, unreadable. He didn't smile. He didn't apologize for en

their seats. His thigh brushed against her knee. Eva flinched and p

The city lights began to blur into st

down. Despite the fear, despite the stranger next to her, her bo

ed her. Kingsley was standing over her, holding a scalpel. He was smiling. "It's

y in a spasm of terror. Her elbow flew out an

fusion. One second he was asleep, the next he was lethal. His hand

e, staring into his furious

growled, his voice rough

he reality of the angry man holding her. She opened her mouth, her

didn't speak, his eyes narrowed. He released her w

it sounded more like a c

he raised her shaking h

s, then back at her face. He didn't un

om her, crossing his massive arms over his ch

ame heat her neck. She

t sent Eva's backpack sliding off her

it difficult. Her bad leg throbbed, the knee stiff and

r of his eye. He let out a heavy sigh, the so

rabbed the strap of her bag and hauled it up. He didn

," he said, h

bag like a shield. "Thank you,"

olding a phone. Most girls her age were glued to their scr

g her. Eva saw his jaw clench. He had c

ried to slow her heart rate. She was safe for now. But the man next to her felt