“My philosophy is pretty simple – any day nobody’s trying to kill me is a good day in my book.”

“Was he a good kisser, Ms. Lane?” Barrons asked, watching me carefully.I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand at the memory. “It was like being owned.”Some women like that.”Not me.”Perhaps it depends on the man doing the owning.”I doubt it. I couldn’t breathe with him kissing me.”One day you may kiss a man you can’t breathe without, and find breath is of little consequence.”Right, and one day my prince might come.”I doubt he’ll be a prince, Ms. Lane. Men rarely are.”

“-and nobody’s getting laid!” I practically shouted.“You think I don’t know that?” He shifted his body beneath me, making me painfully aware of something. Two somethings, in fact, one of which was how far up my short skirt was. The other wasn’t my problem. I wriggled, to shimmy my hem down, but his expression perished the thought. When Barrons looks at me like that, it rattles me. Lust, in those ancient, obsidian eyes, offers no trace of humanity. Doesn’t even bother trying.”

“I go inside my head and become that other me, the one I don't tell anybody about.The observer...I live in terror that one day I won't get to be Dani again.”

“Don't bother trying to guilt me. Ask my other. It doesn't work.”

“They'll try to kill you.""Good thing I'm hard to kill." Only one thing concerned me. "Will you?""Never. I'm the one who will always watch over you. Always be there to fuck you back to your senses when you need it, the one who will never let you die.”

“One day you may kiss a man you can’t breathe without, and find breath is of little consequence.”“Right, and one day my prince might come.”“I doubt he’ll be a prince, Ms. Lane. Men rarely are.”