Venice Vice

owed, Rey became full

ough a corridor of light toward a burning flame. Each brushstroke carried her emotions;

, saying he had bus

llow, the only sound the quiet ras

partment's intercom c

on a cloth and hurri

tone came fro

or named Snoke in the lob

fr

ok

She hesitated, her hand gripping the inter

turned, shar

o I need to

hoed faintly through the front door, low a

Tell them to

almost hypnotic, made

en? Sh

, trying to deepen her v

art po

it w

use.

Mr.

rcom cli

oming fast. She could hear

. It's t

n the rag, trying to loo

ed. A heavy knock

t before she

d him like mist. His skin was stretched and scarred, deep burns mark

. His gaze raked over her. "

hard, fighting

painting a mur

the brush li

e apartment without invitation.

d a painter?"

like

his smoke-sour br

re i

ut," Rey

sin

s narrowed

? Or avoi

. Rey fought th

ce a rasp of menace, "that if he k

hing down my neck. If he doesn't fix it, we los

reat hang in

ly, desperate to

l him. I

g moment. Then he gave a crooked smil

little one. For you

he turned and stalke

him, Rey sank against th

k of cigarette

. Paperwork. B

o tell Ky

-

Rey arrived early

hick book resting on his knees. Morning sunlight poured through

Rey said, voic

his book,

," he sa

dy to co

ing her bag down. She

rday someone c

ows drew

ho

a steadyi

no

he air seeme

. His dark eyes s

His voice was lo

wanted to see you. He said

ring at her so intently th

did he

quieter now,

erwork, the thinly veiled menace. She even mentioned how Snoke had ca

exhaled slowly, rubbin

d at last, his voic

telli

relief mixin

his gaze t

s it

lowed h

e flames are coming

ee or four

details,"

y you planned. I

ment. Rey smi

tood and crossed to th

town," he said, s

a day o

pa

hing u

ver his should

ing to

his keys fr

Keep working. I'll

he door, leaving Rey alone with her

-

gone was strange

the apartment felt like an abandone

ting, but her

's th

den doc

s dep

texted Rose and met h

and Rose's cheerful

awful," Rose said bl

ral dra

admitted, sip

of town. It's weird

ised an

wn? Withou

ed, avoidi

e like?" Rose

ystery

hesi

here's something else. Like he's hid

ated," Rose sai

staring in

h. V

-

Kylo's apartment, Rey lo

the sky

rumble

, relentless ham

rough the cracked wind

lt raw. Her h

feeling sic

ide made going hom

r the key. Told h

ent longer, Rey decid

-

lo's minimalist kitchen, the s

he wrapped herself in a thin gray

drumming of r

cine blurred

fted into a dee

-

h envel

swayin

ked, min

her, the familiar scent of leather, wind

o R

lightly, resting

n expression she had never s

ouch," he murmured, voice

ld. No

nd

n his bed, pulling the

ice dragging slightly, as if he

of alcohol in his cheeks

barely registered the odd, un

ay down beside her, hi

d to break her, he pul

ted lightly

" he whispered

ou're b

n-soaked room, their b

mth and confusion, they bo