ek l

lways done well in business, but ever since Chloe started

alming people's anger, bringing them joy

er, Mag, had tried calling her so many times that her p

restless, almost to the po

ve minutes left until showtime, there was still no

he saw a figure dressed in white appear around the corner. She coul

pped inside, hundreds of pairs of eyes follo

of silence, thunder

oe had always been cautious in this mixed crowd, but the regulars had grown ac

began to dance across the keys, producing a stream of smooth, powerful, yet graceful

were doing and fixate on Chloe as she played quietly. Her expression remained most

ail, as if it were crying out in pain, evokin

*

her shift. She closed the pi

rouble?" Mag was a widow in her t

ving into a gentle crescent, "Mag,

ted. "If it wasn't absolutely nece

lly came to pick up Chloe every day, Amos. "Let's wait a bit

intained a soft smile. "No, it's fine. I'll go on m

le and events in her life, had already guessed what was going on. She patted Chlo

e smiled g

r lips. Mag followed her gaze to the man at the entrance-he was no longer the dashin

ld indifference enveloped her. She drifted past th

felt a sharp pain. He had a sense that his Chloe was slipping

He reached out with his long arm an

talk." His voice wa

an-or rather, her gaze passed right through him, distant and eth

it seemed like it would snap with the slig

love you. I was drunk, a

on and self-loathing clear in his voice. He was fu

heavy. She quickly wiped them away, her bloodshot eyes sharp as daggers, staring at Amos's

ook

ed he mi

uly in love make

r for this man, but the dull ache i

piercing his heart. He couldn't stand her sarcasm. He

ed, a tear slipping from his eye. He quic

ristling like a porcupine. She yanked her hand free and immedi

that filthy? After all, wasn't it common for men to h

nd growled, "Shut up! Don

with no excuses and no

hloe straightened her back and wa

yes moistening. His moon had truly forsaken hi

o

dn't al

oo well, too afraid to approach. He wished he could cut his flesh into pi

, when he had climbed into that

the point of drunkenness, to the point of madness, to the point where hi

such an excuse, so how co