Em: Whoa, all caps. Someone must be…tense.
Noah: Em.
Noah: Em. On my bucket list of fantasies, you in my jersey is in the top three. I need you to understand the severity of that. This is serious.
Em: Oh, is it? Super serious?
Noah: You little shit.
Em: LMAO
Em: Who’s to say I’m wearing anything underneath it now?
Noah: EM
Em: Just kidding. We’re running to the store in a bit to get some food and supplies. But yes, Noah. Play hard today and I’ll reward you.
Noah: You have no idea how hot that was to read. I might have a praise kink. Tell me I’m a good boy and give me treats.
Em: You are killing me today. Now go be a good boy and play hard.
I couldn’t stop fucking grinning. Em kept me updated with messages of her and Miles, so I never worried what they were doing or up to. I knew they’d met with her parents and that her brother might come visit for a day or two.
I loved that she kept me updated on her life, that she wanted to share this with me. I loved that she brought Miles to her parents, that her brother wanted to come. I had a few minutes before I had to get ready, so I scrolled. I had a few messages I ignored because I didn’t have the capacity, but it’d feel good to delete them.
Three messages from my dad. Two from my mom. One from a number I didn’t recognize but somehow already knewbelonged to a lawyer or something. The relief I’d felt evaporated instantly, replaced by a sharp, sour heat in my stomach.
I opened the first message.
Dad: Is this really what you think is appropriate?
Dad: You’re putting him at risk.
Mom: Who is watching him while you’re gone? Is she even licensed?
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt. I read the words again, slower this time, hoping I’d misunderstood. I hadn’t.
The next message was a photo.
Em and Miles, walking out of a coffee shop. Miles holding her hand, swinging it like he always did, his feet barely touching the ground. Em mid-sentence, her face open, relaxed, unguarded. It took me a second to realize why my hands had started shaking because this was such a normal moment to capture.
They’d followed them. Or paid someone to.
Heat crept up my neck, anger and fear tangling together so tightly I couldn’t separate them. My dad’s next message came through before I could stop staring at the picture.
Dad: You’re neglecting your responsibilities.This will get ugly if you don’t take it seriously.Protect him.
Like I hadn’t been doing exactly that every day since Nat died.
I sat up abruptly, heart pounding, and typed Em’s name without thinking.
Noah: Hey, are you in the condo right now?
Noah: Don’t leave today. Stay inside. Order whatever you need to. Don’t let anyone up.
The dots didn’t appear right away, and the waiting was unbearable. My knee bounced against the mattress as I stared at the screen, every awful scenario lining up in my head. I hatedthat they’d dragged her into this. I hated that they’d weaponized my own fear against me.
Another buzz.
