r's

y, back pressed to the cool wood, heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my

een my stepf

that looked made for slow, deliberate ruin. I squeezed my eyes shut. Tried to shake the image. Counte

g the shaft, the slight upward tilt even soft, the dark hair at the base

ant. Wrong. I was supposed to want Wells. Wells, with his easy smile and gentle to

my name. I pushed off the door and started walking. Fast. Anywhere. My bare feet slapped quiet

and beg. I'd always been good at being alone. I'd raised myself. Cooked for myself. Came for myself in the dark with my phone screen turned low, headphones in, volume barely abov

things in that low, controlled voice until I broke. I stopped in an empty corridor and leaned against the wall, breathing hard. I wa

straightened fast, smoothing my shirt, trying to look normal. Wells appeared at the top of the stairs, still in his football practice gear-gray hoodie, black shorts, ha

ing that half-smile

ut thinner than I want

You look.

. "Just hot. Th

smell grass and clean sweat and the fain

e might touch my arm, then dropped

lways

like

ust wedding stress.

Then nodded. "Yeah. Dad's bee

d at the menti

ked a

houl

hing like guilt. I used to daydream about Wells. About stolen kisses in the library. About him choosing me

x this. Needed to make it right somehow. If I gave her my blessing-really gave it-maybe the guilt would lift. May

high, practiced, the one she used when she was trying to sound delighted in

ze mi

o sign. You know how these old-money types are-cautious until you

them. Just make sure the transfer

forever if Calder gets cold f

ckled-deep,

Capri is still waiting. One cal

mach t

ed, almos

ng a problem again. Moody. Clingy. Always in the way. I thought she'd fade

it was sharper this time. "She's just like her father. Weak. Needy. I gave her a roof, clothes, this ridiculous new life. If sh

I pressed my hand to my m

ady positioning himself as her backup plan. Someone who was promising villas and tr

, silent, until I was far enough down th

cked. I slid down against it, knees

se of wha

me, my mother, she had just confirmed what I'd always

between my legs hadn't gone away and

and tried not to hate myse