TER

's

hand hurt from

Room 4 with my boots still on, my bag beside me, and my eyes fixed

hought I heard someone b

aybe fear had learned h

ood too quickly and nearly fell. My knees buckled. I grabbed the

hispered to m

was t

mp

e Cain Harl

airs started looking at me

m with its locked door and old soap smell,

as dan

e people

was cracked from one corner to the middle, splitting my reflection in two. One

a," I muttered. "

ered with a lou

a hand a

from a gas station outside the state line. I had tol

d kept moving

e door as quietly as I could

e was

lves and more like a place that had survived too many nights. Chairs were upside down on tables. Sunlight cut thr

d the counter,

p the moment

said. "You

ip on my bag. "Wa

ed a rubber band around a

ard the door.

bag, then back to my f

"What does

say that usually h

e some

lbow on the bar. "You have awa

oo close. I loo

asked before I c

curved slig

to avo

en

yes. "That soun

t

Cain stepped inside carrying a metal toolbox

lbows. Ink covered his forearms. Grease marked one knuckle. Hi

ound me im

ened. "I'm

oolbox on th

ough my chest

car

red a

e was no other sound left i

oked

ad no

ting dead o

sn't make

and on a rag. "But i

ng sound that sounded su

red a

ds. "Don't mind me.

o Cain. "What i

ly bald." His gaze dropped briefly to my boots, then ro

. Like he was telling me the weather. Like my esca

uch?"

not change. "Mor

t know wh

itting up with your

stopped counting. It was obvi

ain. "How do

id no

e was answ

hard. "You stood

N

lie t

tand outsid

you k

w tigh

sh drawer shut q

the bar. "No. I as

at me for a

"Your light wa

foolish. It did not. It made m

ou to watch my

N

top wat

ll

tripped over itself. I did not know what

my shoulder. "Fine. I'll t

what m

away, suddenly very intere

d them

d Grey

ty feeling in my stomach. I hated Damian for being able to reach

" I said with

into his pocket and place

t. "Why do yo

ped it la

turned it on. The bat

foolish inside me. I opened my b

swo

ID fa

ord a

ing circ

essage a

SS TEMPORARI

ped br

o

another

tri

ot

tri

t of me but it ha

e was soft.

ed the

N

eyes sh

up at him

t say an

ere ab

ut to ask

angrier than

not h

me instantly with

g and Cain looked at me.

muttered to

, I thought Ca

ased around his mouth and w

oom. For whatever repair you think my car needs.

frozen a

n as Mara swore

but his voice lowered as

e you the right t

ending won't

nst my forehead. The bar suddenly

else to go. Outside the window, Greystone was waking slowly. A truck passed. A woman in

watched

o one from my old life wo

walked into a place that

ure it ou

movement pulled his shirt tight across

use I

got n

l wa

mo

find

fo

ed breakfa

yes f

eal sign of anger

sound like pride," h

and I flinched befor

ly, as if to give me air. That single

oked

I had not seen her move. The plate had Toast, eggs and something fri

order that

eplied. "But

an't

dn't

taking

ll it br

as. Kindness always had a price. Sometimes the price

is from e

he plate slig

at him. "

at

a problem with

e a problem wit

y smiled. Then the smell of food twisted

ool farthest from Cain. I picked up the fo

st undid me. In fac

. For a few minutes, nobody asked me questions. Nobody told me wha

e plate, Cain spoke out

nd I looked up ou

The

red a

at

back

N

need

awa

eeds r

o aw

to stay until you

rking in you

echnically, it's also a

the bottles behind the bar, and the faint blood-colored

ly,"

ed. "She's

can clean tables. Hel

N

pora

N

ai

N

as

first and I didn't

plate away.

udied m

I don't k

oo

not a go

ou won't tr

u want me not

live long eno

again. I looked at him, really l

harming smile. No sweet lie. He was scarred and i

ed door, had kept the men

fered work instead o

e mattered. But it

rk from my engagement ring was st

p beh

ap a

to you," I final

was just as q

lifted

yo

es

, it doesn't me

ly means yo

, it doesn't mean I

N

de to leav

oment, I thought he would a

ave," h

y chest loosened s

"So? Are we hiring or are we all standi

hen at my bag, then at

stay. God knows

re to run to. A

again and pulled the

he movement bu

wed and forced the words out

said. "I

dded once, like some silent agree

. "But I'm not wearing an

e fork, then back to me. For the first time,

ile in his voice. I hated that my heart reacted to that

ing erratically from looking

ough The Pit. I turned sha

straight at me, and asked, "Y

ide the bar while M

ne reminded me that nothing