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"I’m sorry, ether "What?"

"Don’t tell ht for Olivia She shouldn’t have had to go through that aloneand now I know I did the right thing for Tate He needs two parents"

"I wasn’t going to I said what I had to say before you married her, and when she wouldn’t let you see your son But I’ to sit here and tell you what I think of your decisions every time we talk You did what you had to End of story"

"Yeah," he said softly, and then cursed "Tate’s up I gotta go"

"All right, ood And Steele? Just because Reagan gives you some relief, doesn’t mean you have to suffer the rest of the time You can’t live like this You need to talk to someone, please think about it You have--­you have to startme?"

"No, I--­"

"You sahat I’d been in for those hours before you rescued me You only saw the aftermath, you didn’t watch it happen to the second of it You didn’t feel like a worthless piece of shit who did nothing--­"

"You couldn’t, Steele," he said, cuttingJust like the others weren’t able to do anything when the rest were killed It could have just as easily been you I’oddaet there earlier But I couldn’t spendthat my team was too late to save the rest of yours So don’t let your life slip by while you’re being tortured by so you had no control over Get some help"

I let the phone fall onto the couch beside me when he ended the call, and leaned forward to hold an--­September 17, 2010

"HEY THERE, STRANGER," I called out as I shut the door behindar, Duchess How’d you sleep?"

I pressed my lips to his chest and pulled away, but kept ood as I do when you’re there, but pretty well You?"