Chapter 10: Give It Back

Mara was sitting on the walkway outside room nine, drinking coffee from a paper cup.

She did not say good morning.

"He left at five," she said. "He took the van. I heard the engine, and I let him go."

"You let him."

"He had a face on him. I know that face."

"It's a man who needs to look someone in the eye and ask a question."

"He took my gun."

"I assumed."

"Mara."

"What would you have done, hold him at the door?" She handed me the second cup. "Drink that. You look like you slept."

I drank it.

I had not slept enough, and I had slept better than I ever had in my life, and I was furious.

The van came back at half past eight.

It turned in off the street too fast and stopped crooked across two spaces.

Luka got out.

He had changed his shirt, and the bandage showed white through the sleeve.

There was a gray look under his eyes that had not been there last night.

He saw me on the walkway, and he stopped.

I came down the steps one at a time.

"Where's my gun?" I said.

"Nika."

"Where is it?"

He took it from the back of his belt and held it out, grip first, across the hood of the van.

I took it and checked the chamber.

Then I put it in the back of the jeans Mara had left on the dresser for me.

"You took it while I was asleep," I said.

"Yes."

"We made a term."

"I know."

"I said you wouldn't take my gun. You said fine. That was before you got into my bed."

"I know," he said again. "I'm not proud of it."

"You aren't sorry, either."

"No."

I looked at him.

"Tell me why," I said. "In plain words. The way you'd tell me if I were any other woman."

"Because I was going to see my father, and I knew you'd follow me," Luka said.

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