“I can see hope inside it."Rachel ran her fingers over the ceramic designs."So fragile.”

“When I want to.” He ran his finger over her lips. “You don’t get a vote, honey.”

“I am a cold hearted, ruthless bastard who sees what he wants and takes it. Is that not so?" He stepped closer to her, too close. His voice, no longer tender, was like the growl of a hungry wolf. "You think I don't want you." He ran his fingers over the pulse beat of her throat..."But I do.”

“I ran my fingers over the black ink. "They're holy to you."Alex flexed his fingers. "They are now.”

“Are all American girls as daft as you, Rachel?""I hope so," I said.”

“Ingrid's skin was the smoothest texture, so pale that it was transparent. I could see the blue veins that ran down her arms, and they made her seem fragile somehow. the way Eric Daniels, my first boyfriend, seemed fragile when I laid my head on his chest and heart his heart beating and thought, Oh. People don't always remember about the blood and the heartbeat. But whenever I looked at Ingrid, I was reminded of the things that kept her alive.”