“Hey, Pigeon.”“Everything okay?”“It is now,” he said, pulling me against him.”

“Okay. I'll deal with Benjamin. You're safe, okay? Nothing's gonna happen." His mouth pulled tight against itself. And now I was having some sort of heart attack. Because when he looked at me like that, my chest started to feel like it was turned inside out. "Promise."And that—the promise, the way he said it with utter certainty—was enough to make me tear up again.”

“My eyes filled with tears. “Get out.”“Pigeon,” he said, taking a step toward me.“Get OUT!” I said, grabbing the glass from the night stand and throwing it at him. He ducked, and it shattered against the wall in hundreds of tiny, glistening shards. “I hate you!”

“Mel.” “Hmm?” “Don’t leave me again, okay?” Clay whispered in a voice choked with emotion as he pulled her tighter against him and tilted his head to rest his cheek on top of her head. “’Cause that ’bout killed me.”

“He grabbed her and pulled her against him. "I've missed you," he said right before he kissed her.”

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Pigeon.”“Just remember that when I take all of your money in the next poker game,” I said, pulling off my shirt.”