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At the cruel threat, the ly at ht, Jackson squiredblock Another Clear

Only then did he spare a glance atfor a hat--or a pair of scissors"

Cutting ed back into ht about trying to steal you," Jackson grated "To steal you fro toldfor just a nanny

We walked on, both of us silent Jackson was still seething, and I ree We’d just seen ere probably the last four survivors in this town

Allstubbornly foolish to believe randmother was still alive But then I’d remind myself that I’d survived the Flash and so had Moenes that had saved us?

And Gran would have known to take shelter, to make any preparations she could

In my heart, I believed she lived Which meant I had to reach her At times in the last few days, I’d stared at the picture s

Slowly, so slowly, I was piecing together that last day with her I’d recollected more details about all the cards she’d ainst a criround, the Reaper had been clad in that black ar his pale horse He carried a black flag, emblazoned with a white rose His victims--man, woman, and child--had all been on their knees before hie had been eerie, I re enthralled with that card more than all the others--even my own Which had htened ry, I’d shaken my head firmly "It makes me sad"

Gran hadn’t liked that answer at all "Why would you feel that way, Evie? He’s a villain!"

"His horse looks sick, and he has no friends"

Now I castfor ht to rerasp

One thing I’d recalled? Gran’s voice fros unfold, Evie"

I suspected I was putting tooall my own efforts But I didn’t kno to stop

Jackson drew up short "Look there, Evie" He jerked his chin at aon its side, clean of ash

"Jackson, careful"

"The rider got bagged" He pointed out a dried swath of blood and telltale sli from the ed hi, Jackson lifted the bike upright, engaging the kickstand "Key’s in it"

My eyes darted behind o!"

"Nuh-uh, not without this bike" He ran one pals "Do you have any idea what this is?"

"Should I care?"

As if he were speaking to a child, he said, "It’s a Ducati"

"So?"

His expression said I’d just blasphe "This is the bike to end all bikes!" His words thrue boy at thisout over a s’re turning around for us" He hopped on, cranking it

When the engine fired, his lips curled "She’s got a nearly full tank, too"

"Can’t we put that gas into a car?"

"None of theh the bike’s storage co the deadand boithin easy reach It even had an eun "Perfect fit" He turned to me "You ready?"

"I’ve never ridden on a ht"

"It’s true My mom never let me" I frowned at the small space on the seat that was left for me "Um, my hood will come off, and I don’t want to cut my hair"

"We’ll make an exception for this ride Come on, you" When I tro it back over my head "You’re not scared, are you?"

In answer, I raised my chin and aardly climbed behind him Our bodies now had, like, forty points of contact I surveyed his back, wondering where I was going to put htly hs, I saw his head dip, his gaze locking on lance over at , tanned hand flat on

"Jackson!"

He balled it into a white-knuckled fist The idea that I’d affected hio shallow

Without warning, he reached his arm back and wrenched ainst his body from one of my knees to the other and up to my chest

Then his hand dipped back between us! Before I could sputter a protest, he’d snagged his flask fro it into his boot, hein the way"

Of what?

"This is where you put your arood idea"

"Evie Arms Now"

I rolled my eyes After a hesitation, I finally reached around hie the kickstand

My clasped hands brushed over hiid with tension; my face flaain, Evangeline," he began in a husky tone, dropping to his seat once more, "in the space of a heartbeat, I will have you off this bike and onto the closest horizontal surface And I woan be picky, no"