I press my face into the pillow, inhaling deeply, as if that will be enough to smother the memory.
Tomorrow, I’ll wake up and find my balance again.
Tomorrow, I’ll be strong enough to resist him.
22
Oliver
The elevator doors slide open into silence.
It’s the kind of quiet that feels too loud.
A little unsettling.
The penthouse is spotless, just like always. There are three spacious bedrooms, a gleaming chef’s kitchen any Michelin-star chef would covet, and sweeping city views. It’s everything a guy like me is supposed to want. And yet it all feels too big. Too empty. Like a showroom someone forgot to live in.
It’s the kind of place people imagine when they picture success.
I toss my keys on the counter. The skyline spills glittering light across the glass, carving the furniture into shadows. My footsteps carry through the open space.
I glance at my phone, and the screen lights up with the last message I sent.
I was serious, baby. We’re not done.
Am I surprised she didn’t bother to respond?
Nope. Not at all.
I know my girl.
She’s still mentally grappling with it all.
I drag a hand down my face before exhaling through my teeth. I keep telling myself to give her space, that she’ll come around when she’s ready. The sad truth is that I don’t know how to stop fighting for Rina.
I’m not even sure I could if I tried.
That woman’s under my skin in a way that feels permanent.
My phone vibrates, and for half a second, I wonder if it’s her. That maybe tonight, I’ve finally succeeded in breaking down a few of her walls.
Instead, it’s my younger sister, Kia.
It’s 10:42 p.m. She should be out with friends, not calling me at this hour.
I pick up and hit speaker. “Hey, kid.”
“Hey.” She sounds more subdued than I’m used to hearing from her. Normally, she’ll open with sarcasm or a story about the guy in her psych class who likes to quote Nietzsche.
Tonight, she just sounds tired.
My brow furrows. “Is everything okay?”
There’s a pause long enough for tension to crawl up my spine.
“It’s fine,” she says, but the words wobble. “I just needed to hear a familiar voice.”
That alone tells me something’s off. Kia doesn’t need anyone. She’s stubborn like that.
