sign the

hat m

at aft

setting and painted the mansio

now supposedly mine, the black folder resting be

I was running

s hovered

lled aw

it... everyt

did

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ounded at

iffe

id called softly. "S

tightened

urse

e wouldn't

in a minute,"

nded steadie

y hands over my pants, forc

re no

not he

just...

le survived by l

t made my

der and walked ou

into step behind

mal that was st

vening had settled fully now, soft lighting replaci

iful

familiar path t

was alr

ring whiskey into a

time," he said

s thi

umorless huff. "Da

ed insi

you just prefer people

rned

e looked even more

Top buttons open slightly, revea

slid over

ess

ses

said quietly. "You just

"Then answer this. Wha

ss down and wa

ru

r ru

r my protection. You attend events when

if I

darkened

I enfo

lse s

marriage," I

urvival in

tretched

t me and pressed a

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ity f

eath

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ga

peri

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st tig

t a pri

re a t

rds hi

do not speak to anyone about me

ldn't

said. "But

allo

thre

pped c

could feel

yourself in dang

don't get to lectu

ietly. "I get to

ds land

he

ed awa

re rules?" I

es

and l

tely, he tilted my c

n't lie

eath

t like

not

oo

shed lightly

ugh me - unwan

rif

uddenly, stepping bac

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want to p

" he said. "You are e

mach t

is i

is my

bitterly. "And n

locked

es

voice made somethin

nded at the

pped in. "Sir. The co

ightened

be t

d nodded

ed back

ould si

I whi

ly, "there are already p

oded my

t pe

," he sa

ds tre

now abo

meone was the

mach d

I don'

ftened just

said. "But without my nam

t like a dea

at the

back

u care?" I

ion hung

av

ger

ne

aw fl

said q

are under m

not what

le

o

ic

closer again,

nt the

art s

es

burned

g hurt..." he said slowly, "m

h left m

oice shocked me more

mmediately, like

d, voice hard again. "Or

ze hel

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d and wa

me stand

ak

fus

rif

g else I ref

at the contrac

the firs

just se

w ar

red me more