“I . . .” he began. His gaze dropped to my ankle. Then he cleared his throat and straightened, pulling out his hands. He reached over and squeezed my upper arm, awkwardly but lingering as he said, “Take care of yourself and have a good vacation. You deserve it.” He released my arm, gave a quarter smile, and headed back for his office.

I opened the front door. As I stepped out, I thought I felt Gabriel watching. I looked back, but he was already disappearing into the office. I paused, feeling the impulse to run after him, to ask if he’d wanted to say something more, to say anything, to hope that—

No, I’d made my decision. I couldn’t keep questioning it. I just couldn’t.

I took a deep breath and continued out to where Ricky waited.

About the Author

KELLEY ARMSTRONG is the internationally bestselling author of Omens and Visions, the first two books in her Cainsville series, the thirteen-book Otherworld series, and the Nadia Stafford crime novels. She is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling young adult trilogies Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising, and Sea of Shadows, the acclaimed first novel in her newest YA fantasy series.

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