orrifying

dered climbing out the opposi

ng about this situation

d against wet pavement. Across from them, Vanessa Whitmore calm

or Ca

gnized the nam

ter mat

newspape

hle

lli

ngly inf

fortun

ate through rain-covered windows like s

ter looked colder than

an

olled

mehow fe

softly. "This

almost lifted despite the

er tracked us d

anic is re

't really list

es remained fi

understood somet

n't coin

t Eleanor here

o

an was d

hout hesitation. Cate remained frozen inside for half a second befo

she stepped onto the sidewalk. Across from them, Ele

curi

lua

whether Cate belonge

e stretche

nor final

S

is the

t tightened

Ca

ss Sul

nu

beside Cate immediately. Sma

sa no

d Ele

rest

inter

shrink beneath the older wo

softened. "You atte

't a qu

ded slow

re connecting your

ctness h

stood exactly where Dylan l

ate coul

hrough the rain. "She's not

d at him calm

le

watching the entire interaction with quiet

nted to leave mo

exhausted h

n returned to Cate

ion startled her

our fa

itated s

lives in

d once slowly

n landed pa

tomach t

tely stepped

ignored hi

t St. Mary'

ot a qu

odded

y are your inten

e it

al acc

oken o

eavily beneat

ne

at

iti

felt exhausted

e some

nd Dylan was wit

ality attached

always assu

"Mrs. Carter is only worried because

looked direct

the firs

iced it

ted her unc

d her

to walk a

anged something qu

e sudd

got

amatic

t an

straightened h

despite her racing heartbeat. "I'

remained unreadable.

t most

ened slightly

irst time sin

ly studied Cat

wa

re car

forward smoothly. "Cate probably doesn't under

rkened immediat

y spoke before h

uietly. "I under

looked at

essure of their attention, but somehow

I don't belong

le will judge me b

like Vanessa think I s

ace hardene

s slowly moved

hones

ly why I shou

d heavily acro

mpletely stil

e sudd

ime since meeti

oked

ate Sullivan's face as silen

dy m

essa Wh

eanor

in seemed loud

he moment

ly why I shou

thing

ked genuinely shaken for the

an

rif

some

Cate more than

y like he couldn't believe

came im

inct

m him because that m

arrogant, leaving w

an look

ally

r noti

rest

inter

ice coated in fake sympathy. "No o

t laughed

yes th

dire

op

tion, every sentence tonig

not bel

ever left Cate

o

voice

o

ea

ously

easily it affec

she loo

iately re

oked devastated by the

ity lights blurred behind him, but somehow all Cate coul

ed at her like losin

bo

randmother and Vanessa watched everything

dened slightly at the di

gnored her

ly. "You said this

would ha

o become something you

ion lande

e sudd

zed someth

ike Dylan meant

di

ctat

ful p

e so

ure she was buil

sensed the weaknes

rse sh

anessa said softly. "Wh

ed his gaze toward

s voice startled ev

most never lost

ere h

ng Cate Sullivan like everyo

nt silent

's chest tight

e some

ght for her mad

ea

and cold as ever. "Dylan, emotio

look at her w

red of living

le

eath caug

e some

felt bigger

than at

lf was changing

died him ca

the firs

ike concern flicke

e knew her

closed he'd become af

people ever tr

this

nurse standin

ough to make him de

ger

dange

e pressure in her chest. Then quietly she w

ed closer

do

im helplessly. "It

s for

ai

he terrifyin

is eyes stayed fixed entirely on her. "Ca

is voice made her hear

rs feeling nothin

you ap

everything b

o

d visibly sic

EVER spoken to anot

So

Vane

o

ow, overwhelmed by everything

red his vo

this sca

ares m

red something insi

se fi

na

mitte

falli

just

al

one thing nobody on

Vane

Elea

n Cate

y as he looked directly int

ave me before th