At the very last second, someone grabbed Sylvia and pulled her into a tight embrace, rolling with her off the street and onto the sidewalk.

All around them, people were screaming, but Sylvia could only hear her own ragged breathing-well, that, and the pained grunt of the man holding her.

Instinctively, she clung to his shirt, knuckles white.

Sensing her fear, the man tightened his hold just a bit more. "It's okay. Let's get up."

His voice snapped her back to reality. Sylvia glanced up at him, a swirl of emotions tangled in her chest.

It was Rupert.

Or maybe it was her imagination, but his lips looked a little pale.

"You..." she started, but before she could finish, a concerned bystander rushed over to help them up.

"Are you two alright?"

Sylvia shook her head, but the words got stuck in her throat.

When she looked at Rupert again, he was as calm and composed as ever, giving the Good Samaritan a grateful nod.

Just then, the SUV driver rolled down his window and, in classic jerk fashion, started yelling.

"What the hell are you doing? Flirting in the street? You wanna get yourselves killed? Don't drag the rest of us into your mess!"

With that, he stomped the gas and sped off, dumping all the blame on Sylvia and Rupert.


Sylvia made a move to chase after the car, but Rupert caught her wrist.

exactly what he

mind: someone had shoved her into the road, and the SUV

accident. That was

thinking about it made her shiver. Was this how people tried to kill you these days-right out

backed off, debating what to say to Rupert, when she spotted the college kid from earlier in the

tugging at his hoodie, moving against the

jolted through her. She grabbed Rupert's

need to

down at their joined hands, his voice low. "You're not usually this

who pushed me is coming over."

Sylvia came back to her senses, she

where there were more people. Why are we in this alley? There's barely anyone


"If we let them go today,

Planting her feet, she refused to go any further into the dark

"No! Your injury-"

cut herself off, realizing she'd said too much, and tried to let go of

hand. But Rupert

her close

what you

to say," Sylvia

pretend you

down at her, eyes sharp even in the dim

Sylvia

esca Oka

step back, trying to

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