His jaw tightens, but he nods. “Yeah. Fine.”
He heads into the kitchen, and I wait until I hear his footsteps fade before turning back to Abigail.
“Your boyfriend’s got some nerve,” she says.
“He’s not my—“ I cut myself off.
Because he kind of is, isn’t he?
We fucked in Rooke’s car this morning. We’re holding hands in public. He gave me a necklace. He said, “We’re doing this.”
So yeah. I guess he is.
“He’s just stressed,” I say instead.
Abigail doesn’t look convinced.
“I just need to go check you got all my stuff,” I say, making a beeline for the stairs.
“We did!” Abigail calls after me.
“You can frisk me on the way out,” I yell back when she looks like she’s going to follow me upstairs.
I stop just out of sight on the first-floor landing. I couldn’t care less about anything left behind—I just need somewhere private. I dig through my tote until I find my grubby cosmetic bag.
Inside, still half-wrapped in bubble wrap, is the new phone Bastian sent me. Even in the dim hallway light, it looks like it costs more than everything I own—still gleaming, not a scratch on the matte black case.
Should have told Kai about this phone ages ago, but when was I supposed to break the news? Before sex? After sex? While we were curled up in front of the fireplace eating a pizza? Admitting I’d kept such an expensive gift from Bastian was guaranteed to have ruined our vacation.
I turn on the phone, willing it to start up faster.
The lock screen photo stops me cold.
Lookout Point at sunset. The view of Agony Hollow spreading out below, all golden light and shadow.
The phone vibrates furiously in my palm, notifications spilling onto the screen. I ignore all of them, go straight to my messenger app, and fire off a text to Melissa.
@lee.haven
You okay? Please text me. I need your help.
“Guess you found Melissa’s number,” Abigail says over my shoulder.
“Jesus!” I jump, the phone dropping to the carpet.
“Your boyfriend’s waiting for you,” she says, and then grabs the phone from the floor before I can stop her.
She turns it over, giving it the same appraising look she gave Kai. “Doesn’t look all that busted to me.”
“Give it back.” I snatch it out of her hands and shove it into my tote bag, scowling at her over my shoulder when she follows me down the stairs.
Kai’s in the foyer with a duffel bag on each shoulder, sucker tucked in the corner of his mouth.
I’m thrown back in time to the night after the social committee meeting. The night he nearly fucked me under the bed, after stripping off my dress with a kitchen knife.
“Ta ta!” Abigail coos as we head for the front door. “Oh, andlovethe new phone Haven. My brother got one just like it. Says the battery lasts for-e-ver.”
“She’s lost her fucking mind,” I mutter.
