“When we got close to the door, I moved him to the side, so we couldn't be seen from the window, and I pulled him towards me by his shirt.”

“I couldn't believe his arrogance. I turned away hoping to ignore him enough so he'd just leave."Just give me five minutes," came Flynn's muffled voice through the closed window.I ignored him. He'd caused me way too much trouble."Mercy, just crack the window so we can talk."I did and immediately said, "You are a solipsistic obdurate asshole." Then I rolled the window back up to continue to ignore him."What the hell? You and these words," he muttered loud enough they came clearly through the closed window.”

“Still sitting, he reached out and pulled me toward him. We stayed there, looking at each other, his hand still wrapped in my shirt hem, my heart hammering so hard I was sure he could hear it.when I inched closer, not wanting to intrude, he tugged me in front of him and I stumbled, half falling onto his lap. I tried to scramble up, cheeks burning, but he pulled me down onto his knee, one army going around my waist, tentative, as if to say Is this okay? It was, even if my blood pounded in my ears so hard I couldn't think.”

“We don't look at each other anymore. Not really. Not since I pulled him from that opium den. Now when I look at him, I see the addict. And when he looks at me, he sees what he would rather not remember. I wish I could be his adored little girl again, sitting at his side.”

“I had to protect him. And me. So I took everything I felt for the pack. I saw the bond, and instead of closing myself off to it, I pulled. I pulled at it and I thrust it toward Chase.”

“That’s a good hustle,” I told him. “We both got a little hustle, don’t we?” He pulled on his jacket. “But I like to think we got more heart.”