“I don’t know,” I say through stiff lips. “I evolved into one, didn’t I?” That gives her pause, forms a line between her brows. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” She starts to walk past me, stops, standing close enough to fill my nose with lavender. “He told me if I ever spoke to you ever again, he would hurt me. Ruin you, have you evicted. Make sure you never got hired in town. I didn’t mean to…hurt your feelings, if that’s what happened.” That revelation rocks me to the soles of my feet, setting fire to the organ pumping brokenly in my chest. “Jesus, Allie. You were protecting me? And I…I
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