I gave her the cliffs. The laughs. The bathtub. The shirt I still refused to give back. She gasped, teased, and threatened to hop a flight just to interrogate him herself.
“But here’s why I’m really calling,” she said, finally composing herself. “Ezra just wrapped the Palisade property for KIB. Khalil wants someone to curate the interiors—art, objects, soul. He specifically asked for someone who understands texture and tension.”
I arched a brow. “And you thought of me?”
“You’re the only person I know who can match a sculpture to grief and make it beautiful.”
I sipped my tea, moved by that more than I’d let on. “Send me the brief. I’ll look it over.”
She nodded. “I’ll send it this afternoon. Also… you sure you’re okay? I read the news.”
Asha was the only person, outside of Tariq, who knew Elijah was a client of mine, and she knew exactly who he was.
My eyes lowered. “It was a bad one.”
She hesitated. “This isn’t some shady shit, is it?”
“It’s starting to feel like it” I exhaled. “TBut I’m just finding out what I can and passing information along. I’m not an expert on fires. I deal with art. Thassit.”
Her voice softened. “Still.”
“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice betrayed me. “I’ll call you later?”
“Promise.”
“Promise.”
Before I could even put the phone down, my line lit up. Elijah.
I took a steadying breath, then answered. “Elijah.”
“Sanaa. Got your message. You’ve been busy.”
“Tariq updated me,” I said quickly, “He saw some things. Sent me photos. The debris shifted. You were right—it wasn’t structural.”
“Arson?”
“Something like it. Intentional. Smart.”
He was quiet. So quiet it unnerved me.
“Send me what you’ve got,” he finally said. “I’ll take it from here.”
I exhaled. That meant my part, a part bigger than I signed up for, was done.
“I figured you would.”
“When I rebuild,” he said, “I’ll call you.”
“Make sure you do.”
The line clicked off. No goodbye. No extra words. Just silence that carried a weight all its own.
I’d barely madeit through the morning briefs before I caught Livia in the act—leaning just a little too far over my inbox, pretending to organize files that were already alphabetized.
I narrowed my eyes. “You gave him my location.”
Livia didn’t flinch. She smoothed her slick bob behind her ears—deep brown and straight, her lips painted a brave, glossy plum—and tilted her chin like she was daring me to be mad.
