Page 58 of The Rat

“I can’t tell youthat.”

“When can I seeyou?”

“I don’t know.”

Erica sighed. “There was a lot ofpoint to this call then…”

“I wanted to hear yourvoice.”

“When you say things like that, Igetworried.”

“Sorry, Idon’t mean to worry you.”

Sebastian started coughingoutside the cell,and it got progressively louder. “Erica, I’ve got togo.”

“Already?”

“Yeah, loveyou.”

He hung up and shoved the phonein his pocket just before the door swung open.

“What you doing inhere?”

Rory placed his hand on his stomach.“Feeling rough.”

“You keep this dooropen.”

“Sorry.”

The guard glared at him, thenbacked away. Sebastian walked in a minute later, folded his arms over hischest, and raised his eyebrows.

“So you didn’t rush out tosave me…”

Rory snorted. “Yeah,sorry.”

He handed the phone over, andSebastian promptly crouched and slipped it down hissock.

“Feeling anybetter?”

“Yeah, I amactually.”

“Who did youcall?”

Rory averted his gaze. “Afriend.”

“Oh, I see, that kindafriend…”

“No, not that ‘kinda friend’,whatever thateven means.”

“Like a lover on theoutside.”

“Definitelynot.”

Sebastian flung his hands up. “It’sokay, you don’t have to explain.”

“What aboutyou? Anylover on the outside?”

“Nope, a few close friends that are eager tosee me, but no lover. No relationship to salvage. I didn’t havetime for that.”

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