That’s Lukas. He doesn’t just beat you. He makes you watch while he does it.
“… Kir?” She sound surprised to see me, like she’s not quite sure I’m real.
I almost laugh at the sight of her. Of all the people in this building, on this day, it had to be her. The fact that she’s a dead ringer for my dead mother doesn’t make my psychological s**t any easier to deal with.
“Rae.” I know I sound awful, but at this point, there’s no hiding it. “Fancy meeting you here.”
She sits down next to me. Not too close, which is wise on her part. She’s already learning the risks of fraternizing with the Lazarevs.
“You look like hell,” she observes.
“That’s funny. I feel like it, too.” I lift the bottle and take a pull, then hold it out to her. “Want some?”
She doesn’t answer. She just looks at me, and
