“Danica,” Chloe groaned.
“What?I’m being supportive of my sister.”
“You’re being ...you.”
Danica beamed.“Exactly.”
Kayne’s eyes glittered with amusement as he glanced between them.“She’s somethin’,cher.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Chloe muttered.
“Oh, please do,” Danica twittered cheerfully.“I really like him.”
Chloe’s pulse jumped because Kayne’s gaze slid to her.He seemed to enjoy hearing that more than he should have.
Danica clapped once.“Fantastic.Now.Who wants a drink?This screams a wine situation.”
Kayne lifted a brow at Chloe, silent question clear:Is this normal?
She sighed.“Unfortunately, yes.”
Danica sauntered into the kitchen.“And you love me.”
“I tolerate you,” Chloe corrected, which made Danica cackle as she rummaged for glasses.
Kayne leaned down, voice low enough to weave beneath her defenses.“She’s trouble.”
“She’s family.”
“Mm.”His mouth tilted.“Same thing sometimes.”
And despite the adrenaline still humming through her, Chloe felt her shoulders loosen.
Kayne was here.Danica was being Danica.And for one fragile, improbable second, the world felt almost normal.
#
Danica stayed to eatpizza and drink too much wine.Kayne was about to confiscate her keys when she finally called a rideshare.
The apartment went quiet when Danica flounced out with a breezy, “Text meeee,” and a wink that promised trouble later.
Kayne watched the door click shut, waited a moment to make sure she wasn’t boomeranging back, then exhaled.“Lord help whoever marries that one.”
Chloe snorted, tired but amused.“She’ll either improve someone’s life or ruin it.It’s a coin flip.”
He turned to her fully now, letting his tone shift, letting the protective edge slip through.“Chloe, we need to talk.”
Her spine straightened with a subtle shift of someone bracing for impact.He hated how familiar that reflex already felt.
He tipped his head toward the hallway.“C’mon.”
She hesitated but followed him to the small sunroom.It was her plant sanctuary, soft-lit and humid and smelling faintly of soil and peppermint.It felt like her in here—warm, vibrant, stubbornly alive.
Chloe shifted uneasily.“Kayne, what is it?”
“You know that car wasn’t someone texting or distracted.They aimed for us.”
“Well, they missed.”
