ex'

tairs slower

red but because my he

don't inti

joke. Like a fact. L

intimidate me because intimidation imp

ed me about h

list

noti

sn't like I was background noise

as the

e room was neat, comfortable, unmistakably temporary. My suitcase still sat half

attached, I

said t

-

ys slipped into

cooked breakfast when she was busy, nothing fancy, just enou

commented on

e alwa

es, a quiet "good." Once, just once he'd looke

burned mysel

sing conversations. Shared silences. Brief mo

les here. I co

n aloud but they ex

't t

't l

ask f

llowe

os

-

tchen, arms crossed, watching me dice

ou angry at

I said au

e cutting like the

knife down. "It's jus

ird

fe place. She knew about me. About who

is felt d

to be awkward," I said

d. "Is he making

kly. "He's not doi

ruth and also t

spoke gently. "Alex, Mark has rul

at her. "L

ife. Like never depending on anyone. Lik

tightene

e breaks those rules only

ed. "He tr

aid. "And tha

n I'm safe. I don't pla

y arm. "Good. Because some line

nod

d, staring at the ceiling again, I

w what line s

e I mig

k had already s

-

ty came sooner

agant, just something to distract myself when Mark walked in

ugh

he saw me. "You'

orrected. "Expe

twitched. "

for a mome

to do that," he

I replied.

med to su

?" he

makes the house f

rds hun

arm light, the familiar counters, the

said softly

gain but this time

r résumé today,"

d still

re qua

es. "That's n

agreed.

appointment tan

anything I didn

give it," he

gaze, mutual respect

another

rn

n't

n't

he stove. "Dinner w

"I'll be i

zed something that m

rning each o

nown, were dangero

w yet which of us