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He had becos that he i?"

"Why did you just put that on?"

While he tried to shrug off the question, I could see his jaw clenching like he was holding back "It’sit at the border where you could be identified" I drew in a deep breath and repeated an earlier question "Are we in soer?"

Rev stared ata loud breath "Look, Annabel, there’s a lot about my world that you don’t understand and you don’t need to understand"

"So you can’t explain toon a piece of leatheras you’re withthat cut now?"

Rev growled as he shoved his keys in his pocket "You just can’t leave it alone, can you?"

"Being stubborn is part of rateful when he finally smiled at me "I know you can be normal, Annabel In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone able to be so ‘norh"

"Thank you," I murmured

"So come on You need a nutritional ood food--some nutritious shit that you need"

When I realized that was all I was going to get froreed "Okay"

As alked across the parking lot, Rev kept his hand at the small of my back When alked inside the diner, the bell over the door tinkled, alerting the patrons to our presence It seemed to me that conversation ination

A waitress who rerits" Flo from the TV show Alice came up to us I’d often watched old reruns on the television set in the kitchen when I was growing up Our cook had been a big fan of the shoo?"

"Yes, please"

She grabbed some menus "Follow me"

As we passed a row of booths and tables, the hardened-looking truckers took notice of Rev Then I witnessed an expression of respect pass over their faces I knew then the reason why he had put on his cut There was unspoken power in the worn leather, and at the rateful for it

We slid into a booth next to a large glassThe waitress handed us the et you to drink?"

"I’ll have a Coke," I replied

"And you?" the waitress asked Rev

"I’ll take a sweet tea and a ht back"