Everything about Andrew was hot, from the hands holding him down to the mouth steadily taking Neil apart. Neil finally understood why his mother thought this was so dangerous.

You don't think he's crazy now?""Crazy, nah," Nicky said. "Soulless, perhaps.

Whether Neil left today or tomorrow or next week, he'd leave alone. Two, five, ten years from now, if Neil was even still alive, he'd still be alone. He could be anyone, anywhere in the world, but he'd be alone until the day he died. He'd never trust anyone enough to let them in.

Thank you," he finally said. He couldn't say he meant thanks for all of it: the keys, the trust, the honesty and the kisses. Hopefully Andrew would figure it out eventually. "You were amazing.

Who said 'please' that made you hate the word so much?"Andrew gazed at him in silence for a minute. "I did.

You can't cut down someone who's already in the gutter.

University, he said quietly. It sounded like a dream; it tasted like damnation.