Lena wasn't about to back down. "Totally. Nate's my boyfriend, so I'm sure you'll respect those boundaries."Her confidence? Unshakable. She knew her place, and she owned it.Retta held her gaze, clearly trying to push buttons that weren't getting pushed. After a few awkward seconds of back-and-forth, Retta finally gave in with a sharp, "Tell Nate to leave an hour early tomorrow. If he's late, no one's waiting."Like, okay, chill. We all knew she was just being dramatic.Lena smiled, all calm and collected. "Sure, we'll be up all night anyway."Honestly? I wanted to give Lena a standing ovation—she crushed that.Retta's flawless face finally cracked. She scowled, then stormed off in a huff.As Retta disappeared down the hall, I flashed Lena a thumbs-up from across the way.She pointed right back at me with a look that screamed, 'I can't believe you're staying right next door to us.'Lena: 1. Retta: 0. She handled it like a boss, and I was riding that high with her.Back in th
The thing I've been chasing for years... just dropped into my inbox like some sketchy mystery gift.At first, I was excited. But then confusion hit me.Why now? Why this random person? And how did he even know what I was looking for?The accident happened forever ago—over a decade. Why had this person been sitting on that missing page for so long? Was it even real? Or was this some kind of weird trap?A million questions ran through my head, but honestly, I couldn't let this go. No matter what.My hands were shaking as I typed back: [When can we meet?]No response.I waited, like, five seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Who even was this person? When did he add me?I checked his profile and realized he'd friended me a while back, and I'd even left a note: [Officer Sawyer.]Right. He had sent a friend request ages ago, but I'd forgotten about it.So, this was the officer in charge of my parents' case? My pulse picked up again, hard.I fired off another message: [Officer S
I woke up the next morning as soon as Hayden slipped out of bed. I wandered to the balcony, just in time to spot Nate getting into his car.He was holding Lena's hand—not in a full-on PDA way, but there was definitely something there. Like, they clearly had a night.Then, right on cue, Retta appeared, looking effortlessly chic in her beige blouse and white pants. Honestly, without her lab coat, she could've been straight out of a fashion magazine.She was obviously trying to catch Nate's eye, probably hoping to throw Lena off her game."Nate, good morning!" Retta called out, flashing her most charming smile, acting like it didn't faze her that Lena had totally stayed over.Nate barely glanced her way, just nodded. "We're all waiting on you."I had to grin. He wasn't giving her anything. He definitely knew about her little stunt last night.Retta's smile slipped for a second, and she shot Lena this look, like, 'How dare you tell him what I said.'Lena? Totally unbothered. She ju
Lena didn't say anything at first, just buried her face in the crook of my neck.I stroked her hair, teasing, "Missing Nate already, huh? It hurts, doesn't it?""It's worse than when I was just crushing on him," she sighed dramatically."Well, duh! You just got a taste of what you've been wanting for, like, forever, and now you're left hanging. Of course it stings," I said, nudging her with a playful grin.Lena flashed a bold grin. "Who says I have to wait? I could hop on a plane and be with him whenever I want."That reminded me of their convo from last night. "Wait, are you seriously thinking about it?"She sat up on the couch, tucking her legs under her. "I don't know yet."Which meant she was seriously considering it. I mean, who wouldn't? After years of secretly crushing on Nate, she finally got him, and now he's miles away."Take your time," I said, giving her a playful nudge. "But come on, spill. How was last night?"Lena poked me in the arm. "Didn't you say what I have
"Lena—" I started.But before I could say more, she cut me off. "Do you think I can still catch Nate if I chase after him now?"She definitely shouldn't, even if she had a shot.She couldn't go back to work yet, but she also couldn't just leave Kehlmark while the investigation was going on."Don't overthink it. Tanya's just lashing out, like a cornered animal." Lena paused, then added, "Honestly, we should be the ones recommending her for a psych evaluation."Her attempt to lighten the mood didn't land for me. She flicked her fingers against my forehead, reading my mind. "Stop. This isn't your fault."How could it not be?Tanya's whole problem with Lena was totally because of me. Plus, I'm the one who called Lena in when Tanya's condition got worse.If I hadn't called her, Lena might not have even been the one to do the surgery."Fault or not, I still have to deal with her," I said, already moving toward Tanya's room.Lena grabbed my arm. "If you go in now, she'll think she's
Brad's face went full-on tomato at my comment. "Quit talking about wolves or puppies or whatever. Don't insult me. We're even now, okay? It's in the past."Watching him squirm, trying to keep his cool, had me grinning.I took a step forward, and he immediately backed up, arms crossed like I was about to actually throw hands. I snorted. "What's wrong? Scared I'll actually do something? Chill out. I'm just curious why you're suddenly playing nice.""What's wrong with that? Or were you hoping I'd still—" He stopped himself mid-sentence. "Don't even try to bait me. And stop coming any closer, or I'll record this for... evidence."I rolled my eyes at his empty threat. "Sure. Now spill. What did Wayne do to get you all obedient like this?"His eyes darted around, avoiding mine. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Now move, I've got places to be."I stuck my leg out, blocking his path. "Cut the act. I know you're working for him. Why else would you turn on your own sister?"His
I kept my focus on the match playing on the TV. It was intense, two of the best players going head-to-head. Every point felt like a work of art.Without bothering to look at her, I casually asked, "So, who do you think's gonna win this?"Tanya didn't bother answering. Instead, she snapped, "You've got some nerve showing up here."I shrugged and pulled a chair next to her bed, eyes still on the game. "Weren't you waiting for me?"I mean, her whole attack on Lena? That was definitely meant for me."It doesn't matter," she hissed. "I'm gonna make sure you pay for this. Trust me, the pain you'll feel is gonna be way worse than if it happened to you directly."On screen, my favorite player nailed a killer forehand smash, winning the set. The crowd roared.I glanced over at Tanya. She looked like a ghost—pale, gaunt, lips tinged blue. Honestly? Pitiful."I don't know what price I'm paying, but you..." I leaned in a little, lowering my voice. "You're not looking so hot these days, huh
Tanya flinched so fast I couldn't help but laugh out loud.Still chuckling, I grabbed the remote she'd tossed aside. "What, you're scared of me? Relax, I'm just getting the remote."Her face turned a weird mix of red and pale—like she couldn't decide if she was embarrassed or just pissed.I had already turned the TV back on, the match tied at 8-8, both players neck-and-neck. Whoever took the next point was set to win the set."Get out!" Tanya snapped, sounding frustrated as hell.Instead of leaving, I pointed the remote at her like it was some kind of weapon. "Chill. Let me finish watching, and then we can talk."I wasn't even just messing with her—I genuinely wanted to watch the match. Forget pop stars and influencers; I was obsessed with the girl on screen, clawing her way to the top in the world of sports. She was fierce. Unstoppable.To my surprise, Tanya actually quieted down. I smirked and decided to push her a little. "Wanna make it interesting? Let's bet. Pick who you th