“Over the counter is better,” I answer, rubbing my thumb along the seam of my leggings in a nervous gesture I can't quite stop. “They need to scan it for tracking.”
“No problem.” She rests a warm hand briefly on my arm, her touch gentle and reassuring. Her brows pinch together with genuine concern. “You holding up okay?”
I nod, though the motion feels tight and unconvincing. “Doing my best.”
“You look tired,” she observes gently, her eyes scanning my face. “But better than you did earlier this week. Less pale, at least.”
Her kindness sinks into my chest, making the guilt heavier. I force a small smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes. “It helps having you swing by. Makes things feel a little more normal.”
She bumps her shoulder lightly against mine, a gesture that's become familiar between us over the years. “I'll keep checking on you until you’re back to your old self. Tell Luka he better get used to me.”
The thought pulls a laugh out of me even as anxiety curls deeper inside, wrapping around my ribs and squeezing. “If he starts smiling at you, we’ll both know something’s wrong.”
Jenny gives the envelope a quick pat, the paper crinkling softly against her side. “I'll get this mailed and send you a picture of the receipt, so you know it's done.”
The air in my lungs tightens for a moment, but I breathe slowly until it loosens. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
She studies me for a second longer, her expression softening. “You don't have to thank me. You've done so much for me over the years, Sage. This is easy.”
Before I can respond, she reaches out and gives me a quick hug, her arms warm and familiar around my shoulders. The embrace smells like her vanilla body spray and the cold mountain air. I hold on just a heartbeat longer than I should, drawing comfort from the contact.
“I'll check in after my errands,” she murmurs near my shoulder.
“I'll be here.”
She pulls back and nudges Vega with her foot affectionately, bending slightly to ruffle his ears one more time. “Guard her, okay?”
Vega answers with a low chuff, his tail sweeping the floor once in agreement.
Jenny smiles, then heads toward the door, pulling it open and stepping back into the cold. The guard outside nods to her as she passes. She waves back with her usual bright energy and moves briskly toward her car, her boots crunching across the gravel drive.
I watch from the doorway until she drives past the gate, the vehicle disappearing down the winding road. The sound of her engine fades gradually, swallowed by distance and the thick pine forest surrounding the property.
Only when she disappears completely does a tremor run through me so suddenly that I have to grip the counter for balance. My hands shake against the cool surface, and my vision blurs slightly. Vega noses my thigh, pulling me back from the edge of panic.
“It's done,” I whisper, though the words scrape on the way out, rough and painful. “I hope I made the right choice.”
His ears tilt back, and he presses closer, his solid presence the only thing keeping me upright. I close my eyes and breathe into the space where fear and guilt twist together in a knot I can't undo.
7
SAGE
Luka enters the room so quietly that I don't notice him until the light changes. The afternoon sun stretches across the floorboards in front of him, catching on the edges of his dark coat and glinting over the frost still clinging to his collar. I'm sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling my sweater down over my ribs, when he stops in front of me. His expression smooths into that quiet resolve he uses when the choice is already made, and he’s braced for whatever follows.
“We leave for Seattle tonight,” he tells me. His tone is calm, level, and certain enough that the air around us feels heavier. “Aspen Ridge is compromised.”
The words hit me like cold water, more forceful than I expected, slicing straight through whatever fragile calm I tried to build yesterday. My breath catches halfway in my throat, lodging there until I force it through. The room tilts for a second before settling back into place, the walls reasserting themselves around me.
“Tonight?” The question comes out smaller than I intend, no more than a whisper.
“Yes.” He sets his gloves on the dresser, slowly placing them side by side, as if he's arranging chess pieces. “The sooner we get you out of Colorado, the better.”
I stare at him while heat climbs into my chest even as my stomach drops like someone pulled the floor away. My hands curl into fists against my thighs, nails pressing into my palms hard enough to leave crescents. Leaving Aspen Ridge tonight means losing the one place where Ray knows how to reach me. Leaving means severing every thin line of leverage I thought I still held. Leaving means the USB is out there, moving toward him, and I will be hundreds of miles away with no way to make sure Ray keeps his promise.
My pulse hammers against my ribs, each beat distinct and painful. I can feel it in my throat, behind my eyes, everywhere at once. The sweater suddenly feels too tight around my chest, constricting my breathing.
“You didn't ask me,” I manage.
