“He said he needed to unwind. He was furious we all let you go so far. That boy would stop you so much as breaking a nail if he could.”

“Xav!Got you. Not letting you go.I realised I wasn't alone in mental deep space; he had always been there and could pilot me home.”

“I...I'm sorry to come like this,' I murmured.'Stop being so damn British about it-you don't need to apologize. Ssh, it's fine.”

“Nice. Like the new look. He didn’t sound as if he liked it one tiny bit. He sounded fit to be tied down and given a dose of sedatives.”

“Fine, I'll teach you,''Besides, there's only so many times a girl wants to fall on her butt in front of the boy she's out to impress.”

“Sky, you can't ignore this!" He stood under the street lamp, sleet settling in his hair, hands fisted at his side. "You're mine - you have to be.”

“He[Crystal's father] had found my height amusing, referring to me as his "little girl" at every opportunity even though I could see the bald patch on top of his head fringed by curls when we stood side by side.”