AN's

t the da

tanding outside myself watch

ng me by the collar to the bar he worked a

I knew how close I had come to blowing the interview. I might ha

h knell. A level of reckles

ionist noted dryly, her voice dripping with condescension. This time, I did

bo

moothly. "Besides, you can't call

k. Her lips tightened, but she swallowed the r

your office, but the Boss n

a blackout spiral the day she was assigned personali

ttle closer,

nt to save the sarcasm for the clients. I wonder who made you receptionist with a f

sh. But she

't need to. Her expression already told me sh

had meditated, practiced yoga, even repeated affirmations in the mirror

steady even as I felt something sharp and nameless clawing

tured

t hit me-t

th a tinge of

yes that coul

e boss? Like...

e not realized

ity, like the floor bent ben

e was the same man from Hall Thre

uldn't even read a

your past back in your face

through the fog of my thoughts, sharp and amused. That singl

sent, practically stumbli

ped away like I wasn't even there. A del

amiliarity that unsettled me. Like I had kno

he looke

ouch your skin-they

hose eyes doing something

s flicking everywhere but his. I

eplied, motioning to the

l for my body. "Thank you so much for this opp

ook it without hesitatio

birthmark. Just

world...

, something bitter and cracked a

~

f the Year. Got a tattoo to

down the kid who seemed to piss me off for

. "It's not

all the clichés-I had power. And I abused it. No on

I smirked, and

ean in half. His books sp

his hand a

mark," he sai

"Whatever you

~

That same damn

I was seventeen, cruel, and venomous, lording

holding his hand in that han

e," he said coolly. "Almost like yo

lently. I dropped hi

t suspicious. Familiar. Like he was dissec

e he

for the perfect time to

or being the villain i

e. You smile. You pray they don't re

an's villain. In hi

d to wor

poetic hel

p in my throat, kee

s trying to build-I cou

, he could destr

ng told me.

mooth like silk wrapping around a blade. "I have a f

hat w

ional interest. It was personal history-lac

n," he said, sitting back with relaxed menace. "You ge

ockets, clenching my fist

lm. Controlle

into a job-I was steppi

Lion rem