l

nsive and unsure of what I would do. I licked my lips nervously as I scanned the deserted street back and f

or and sliding into the plush leather seats. The car smelled lik

another with a crest-bearing ring, pouring whiskey into a glass filled with ice. The hand then l

t of my reverie, and I turned to loo

dy that day, and I couldn't help but feel ashamed. I looked down at my fingers, fidgeti

barely audible. "Just some thing

" he inqui

them at times like this. Sometimes it's a smell or a word that triggers it. But I'm fin

the car until he spoke again. "What's wrong?" he asked, his tone s

rgin, save

hroat, making me look like a fish out of water. I shook my head, hoping to catch some words rattling around in my brain, but to no avail. This man man

now you fou

quent dark places that smell like s

it takes my mind off things. It takes my mind off

k about it?" he ask

oice. "I'm looking for someone," he said. "I promised her family that I

t be hard

" He chuckled at his own joke. "Ran away to Rome," I repeated. I remembered the time when I did. I remembered a time when my hair was long, and I cu

ked me. "Is it one of those

in, and we began to move. We remained in a comfortab

him again, "You didn't answer my question. Why do you fight? It doesn't

f desperado?" He laughed at my last statemen

do. I just... it keeps

ngerous in my line of work. Even when you feel pain, you bask in it. When you're h

lowing in the darkness of his car. "They mig

oman dressed in a vivid blue gown with dark

. She grabbed my hand with a frantic face and ran with me up a flight

couldn't hear her words still, but she placed a hand

d again, pulling me

I said

tched on his handsome features. I smiled

all this?" I asked, tryi

sed eyebrow, he chuckled and then spoke

lly explained," I said,

evade my questions," he teased. "I'm just co

him a reassuring smil

e about who you're l

's seat. Adam's apple bobbed up and down in an almost inviting way. "N

hake the way his tongue rolled over my name. I wished he would ca

en for many years would soon be uncovered by this mysterious