he faintest sound against polished stone. The Callahan estate echoed with its own kind of s

n her ears. Not loud. Just s

what they

hell did

ding like nothing had happened, like his older brother hadn't jus

le doors and stepped aside, letti

ridic

untain ridges. A four-poster bed she could've done laps on. The whole room

ay?" Jac

the threshold like the floor might bit

ar the window, "everything in this house is

nch at the foot of the bed. She

a second

e didn'

like this was just another stop on a long road

rd him. "Then wh

o quick. "Same r

la

h. "You think s

"It's her enga

my mom. She probably guilted Blair into showing up.

dn't think of anything that

t the trees. The mountains were close enough to fe

d a hand t

told me what you're

straighter

me here. To your family's house. The weekend of Blair Donovan's e

as q

tu

like he wasn't sure wh

ought maybe if she saw me agai

mber

t we

stomach

e real. It meant something. I think it still d

ing married

point. "Exactly. It's a reaction. It's a

said, even though she wasn't su

"she never moved on

despite the warmth of the r

dn't

s answe

gaze. "And I'm

"Moral support. You've a

ted. "Steady

. I wouldn't even be doing this if you weren

oked up

at moment, that s

n years waiting for some

upid enough to say

you need

er see we're close. Maybe she gets jealous. Maybe it shakes h

o make her think

help me get h

aid, her voice

't catch

e did. But

her in a hug. She froze for

Familiar. They use

ke a trick she k

t," he murmured

dn't a

coul

as quiet again, Aria wa

ing for. Air, maybe. Distance. A

ker of firelight from rooms she didn't want to step into. Everyth

ase, her fingers trailing t

s when sh

ll

lit only by firelight and the

ok surprised

without speaking, but

er back," he said.

sto

tu

alize you we

cket, eyes never leaving her face. "I

ed. "He's y

man who's going to

ened. "I can

a slow step forward. "But ca

dn't a

dn't

her one more

nd disappeared d

g Aria

cker of a realizat

he one playi

he one be