“I called vee. “how are you doing?” i asked. “good. How are you?” “good.” silence. “okay,” vee said in a rush, “i am still totally freaked out. You?” “totally.”

You’re a liar!” he turned around, his black eyes snapping. “i’m also a thief, a gambler, a cheat, and a murdered. But this happens to be one of the rare times when i’m telling the truth. Go home. Consider yourself lucky. You’ve got a chance to start fresh. Not everyone can say the same.

You’re mine, angel,” he murmured, brushing the words across my jawbone as i arched my neck higher, inviting him to kiss everywhere. “you have me forever.

Arrogance can be deadly.

Chauncey seethed at the outrageous insult. “and your father?” he demanded, extending the sword. He didn’t yet know all his vassals, but he was learning. He would brand the family name of this boy to memory.

Who wants to kill you? The guy asked. He was still looking over his shoulder, but his expression was puzzled. Theres nobody there, the girlfriend told me. Youre making them think they cant see you, arent you? I said to patch, awed by his power even as i despised his use of it.

Im not going anywhere near a motel with you.

Stay with me tonight. Let me hold you even if that’s all it is. Let me keep you safe.

You keep life on a short leash. Whats that supposed to mean? Youre scared of what you cant control.

You’re crazy. You’re impossible.’ ‘i’m crazy?’ he tipped my chin up and planted a quick, rough kiss on my mouth. ‘and i must be crazy for putting up with it.

Humans are vulnerable, because theyre capable of being hurt.

Nope. Thats my line. This is my boyfriends house, which makes that my line,exclusively.Where is he?” nora (p. 287)

Nora: this is crazy. Patch: i’m crazy. About you.

Are you crazy?” i said. “crazy about you.” “patch!” “don’t worry, we’ve got time.” “how do you know?” he staggered back a step, with his hand over his heart. “your lack of faith hurts.

His muscles flexed under his clothes, holding me, leading me. Never letting me stray far.

Have you finished your column for tomorrow’s headline?” it was vee. She came up beside me, jotting notes on the notepad she carried everywhere. “i’m thinking of writing mine on the injustice of seating charts. I got paired with a girl who said she just finished lice treatment this morning.

Sure thing, gumdrop. -scott