TER

's

bod

t my mouth

s eyes sharpened like a blade

," he r

ough my throat felt tigh

became t

music still played from the corner but it sounded far aw

rk ink climbing from his wrist to his forearm. Thick lines. Str

sides, not touching me

g from nobody don't lo

wed. "Li

ce like he was reading a

hind them is stil

of my bag. "That sounds poetic. You

near the pool table. But it died

cared of how easily

ually

months praying somebody would notice without ask

running from any

said. "You

im. "Is there

alway

ed nails tapping once against the wood. She was watching

mall. And I had bee

orning," I said, forcing my voice stea

bar snorted

cut to

ick arms. A leather cut stretched over his shou

sn't look like it ca

nother voice came from the back, careless

e as Cain tur

with one boot propped on an empty chair.

an muttered.

ve for a second

t somehow made it worse. A man that big should have been

did

of his way before

all lowered his bo

, lifting both

pped bes

nged again, drawing ti

ing to say to h

flicked to me,

u s

ea

tly and it was enough

e your mouth n

h dipped

the room but they did. Every man h

did

have felt

me hot and sudden

me. His expression had not changed bu

before he

shoulder was near mine, wide and warm and sol

started

ou doing?"

not loo

ed at t

s wit

e wo

was

. No threat. N

as so complete it felt like the

nder's li

n at the bar looked

d the door, leaned back in his chair an

n went

n h

cold

Cain slowly.

ed on the room.

not wi

ht, yo

e. Half laugh. Ha

wn at me. Up close, he

like it had been carved from stone and then taught to be angry. He smelled faintl

he a

stand beside me and announce owne

is eyes but I couldn

they think y

m al

the pr

eath

him for

ore for feeling

way they had when I came in. Their stares had shifted

se of

had said

s wi

om Cain. "I don't

followed

ked. "

shoul

did you

se the

r, noticing how no one

now. "You can hate me later. For to

cond. Then I held onto it harde

You need a locke

that my bones felt hollow. Tired of driving. Tired of looking over my sho

lapse standing than ad

taying her

's d

l wa

d's

d in the da

ed. I saw it and

money?"

se before m

es

w m

ne of your

h for a room s

And I knew he

oward the bar

the counter and pulled out an old brass key attac

went to

said imm

"Room upstairs. Door

aid

eave in th

leave

an," h

held the key out, not moving clo

" he continued. "Nobod

he room. Every man suddenly l

ight," h

th wen

toni

hould have

did

uld come. Cain could not stand beside

gain. My fingers ache

ened. "Take the r

ked a

"You don't have to tru

n's arm remained extended, the

hing his skin. Still,

ng for it

N

es

N

Do you always answe

d behind the bar that

ut something flickered in hi

ot stu

g and still ar

and was indeed trem

closed my fist until the

aw tha

think Cain Harlo

problem," I

lied. "You'r

t makes a

oes h

now what to

turned in pieces but quieter than before. A glass clinked.

I felt

in stepped toward the staircase at the back of

not

d and loo

d it mysel

o my bag, then to

are you

is still loo

ed but I refused

ent manner. A chair scraped. Then nothing

rush of relief tha

walked past him quick

s, splintered in others. The walls were covered in faded posters for bands I had n

e, close enough that I

doors. Yellow light. A small round window at the

e last door on the

it and shoved the

first time. Then aga

ade it

," I s

did

ere ab

N

he door open an

hipped dresser. A lamp with a crooked shade. One window with th

t it had four walls, a doo

oat ti

when I turned to face

rew togethe

es this fo

d me for

my body, but to the hand gripping my b

e door,"

t's

ck

then

le

ly. "You make

is

y of that

d, neither

quickly. Somewhere outside, wind pushed against the

ave closed

id

eyes he

" I a

ined unreadab

prote

r. Cain's jaw tightened. For a m

he step

he door

it. Like it had already been

moved th

my name like tha

r. He simply turne

pear down the hall and then down the stairs. Only whe

I checked it. Then

m was t

I sat beside it, still wearing my boots, the

did no

eyes on

. Or minutes. Time ha

to lie down but fe

not understa

gerous stranger would stand be

claimed me like a possessi

voice made me feel safer and

when he looked at me, it felt

he had been wa

red with a rapid he

s he r