“Haven.”
She doesn’t answer, but the look she gives me is haunted with guilt in a way I’ve never seen before.
“What did you do?”
I feel her swallow under the heel of my hand. I want to press harder.
So I do.
Her breath catches, and when I trace the outline of her bottom lip with my thumb, it trembles in response.
“I messaged him,” she murmurs. “Friday night. After our fight. I was pissed because you just fucking left?—”
“I asked if you wanted to come?—”
“You fuckingleft,Kai!” Her throat moves again, her voice lowering back to a whisper.
“What did you text him?”
Her gaze flits away. “It doesn’t matter.”
She flinches at the sound of my growl.
I duck my head low enough that my breath ghosts over her lips. “It fucking matters to me!”
“I—” She cuts off with a bitter chuckle. “I played right into his hand, okay? I told him exactly what he wanted to hear, and hetook it as permission to do whatever he wanted to you, and I’m sorry, Kai.” Her voice catches. “I’msofucking sorry.”
I look at Haven.Reallylook at her.
This girl I’ve known since we were kids.
This girl I destroyed, and who destroyed me right back.
This girl I thought I could build something new with, something real.
She’s still here. Still in front of me. Still crying and apologizing and looking at me like I’m the only thing keeping her tethered to the earth.
But all I can think about is how she gave Rooke the green light to ruin my life.
“I need a shower,” I hear myself say.
“Kai—”
“I need a fucking shower, Haven. I’ve been in that cell for two days. I stink. My head is killing me. And I can’t—“ My voice cracks. “I can’t do this right now.”
I push past her into the bathroom and lock the door behind me.
The shower runs hot. I stand under it until my skin turns red, until the steam fogs every surface, until the water cools.
And I think about male DNA.
About blood under my nails.
About the possibility that Rooke didn’t just frame me for a crime.
After what Haven just told me, I know it’shimthey found on me.
He stalked me when I was weak. Claimed me when I was too drunk to resist.
