down on the

n breathing too loud might break whatever fragile thing was left holding us together. My heart was t

tight, like he was

oice rough. "I shouldn't have carri

each other inside me to make sense of any of them. "Then why did you do i

ed to the floor, then back to mine. There w

he said, voice breaking just a l

him. My br

you walked into the office with your father. I told him. I

clenched i

ought you home. M

might shatter ri

that to you. But... drugging him-what i

me off too fast, too col

ice steady, even though my hands were trembling. "And w

't even

he said. "When you think I'm not payin

s dropp

r, longing-all twisted up into som

say something, but he step

e-I kissed him back.I should've stopped it. I knew that. But in that moment, being touched

s gripped me like I might v

for a few seconds, he

sat u

planting my feet on the floor. "He'l

now.I paused at the door. He was still watching me. Not like

im a sha

alked

xt day

n empty spa

sat up, turned toward

think. I didn't even fix my hair. Brushed my teeth with

already crawli

e kitchen-a

e alread

ng was fine. Across from him-Richard. Calm. Too calm.The memor

s from Richard. The table suddenly fe

ng at me. His voice was flat, unimpressed. "

mall smile-soft. Too soft. Like

Dad," he said, pus

asked, casually. "Meeting. Big one.

st watched him go. He looked b

he pho

I could hear someone spea

ace c

oney's been sent?" he b

le

owly turne

I hadn't heard a thing. But inside, my heart wa

he said. "We'

voice barely

said. Then he smirke

e way he said it m

dea what was coming, only that it felt like a setup.He was waiting w

ying to guess where we were

eeting?" I as

ys. "Someone who'll be

ing in my chest

a quiet café. Looked normal.

pped i

pt

cking wall clock.I was about asking what wa

urn

e world

thed, the wor

st as stunne

e room star