steppe

he had just seen. Atlas Black was already inside the car, he didn't look surprised, he simply closed his eyes for a moment, as if her answer was

ir-" h

ogical thing to do, and walk away, disappear, start over somewhere far from all of this. But her feet didn't move, because the

infully, she pressed he

t you," she said

at her through the open door. "That's fine

her, Elena fro

hy are you d

ll the time in the world, he stopped in front of her. The distanc

asked quietly, Elena didn't an

ghtly, "I pulled you o

ake sense at first, "W

d her reacti

he case file, the trial. The judge who se

tomach drop. "No.

t silence was the answer.

she said quickly,

od there, calm. "I don't lie about th

make sense, why would you-why would anyone-" She sto

e before s

never the tar

pread through her chest. "The

itated slightly, just for a s

slightly, but no sound came out, her mind struggled to catch u

's not po

ntrolled. "He stole from Carter Enterprises," he sai

akly. "I don't unde

"Not yet." A pause, then he added

like she was an object. E

was just colla

that silence told her more than words

idnapped me? You want revenge? What

moment, then he said dir

ad immediately. "N

. Instead, he said

lost everything

chest ti

e the chance to

rain had fully stopped now, the street outside the alley was slowly returning to normal-people walking,

tly and added, "I

strangely, it didn't. Instead, it ma

nd rewrite my life?" she said. "Tell

er eyes cal

trust him, not even a little. But she trusted her past even less now. Finally she moved, one step, then another. The car door opened

said quietly, "I'm not

er, "You already

rowned.

her, "The moment yo

ing smelled expensive and cold, Elena sat stiffly, hands clenched in her lap, Atlas entered after her, sitting across from her, the c

e are you

from his phone, "To

y toward him, "And i

eyes were unreadable. "Then you'll u

or the first time...Elena realized she h