The words echo in my head, dragging memories with them. Cold metal. Handcuffs. Concrete walls.
I shake my head. “This is bullshit. She just told you—”
“Wilder,” Millie says again, firmer this time.
Her hand slides up my arm, her touch steady and warm. She looks up at me, eyes calm even though I can feel the tension in her.
“It’s okay,” she says quietly. “Let’s just do it so it’s over.”
I hate this.
I hate everything about this. But I nod once and allow them to separate us. The moment they try to lead Millie toward a different car, something wild and ugly rises in my chest.
“No.” The word comes out loud and rough. “She rides with me.”
“I’m sorry, sir, that’s not how this works.”
Millie turns, stepping close again. She cups my face, forcing me to look at her. “It’s okay,” she repeats softly. “I’ll see you there.”
Her calmness steadies me just enough. I let her go.Just barely.
The back of the police car is smaller than I remember. But I’m bigger now. My shoulders feel too broad, my lungs too tight. The door slams, sealing me in, and the sound echoes in my head like a gunshot.
For a moment, I’m not here… I’m seventeen again. Angry. Alone. Betrayed. Watching the world close in on me as the Serpents—my family—pinned everything on me.
My hands curl into fists.
Is this Cruz?
Did he do this?
If he did, he just made the biggest mistake of his life.
The car starts moving. Every second stretches too long. Every turn makes my skin crawl.
I focus on one thing.
Millie.
Her face when she smiled at me earlier. The way she fits perfectly against my side. The way she trusts me. I won’t lose this.
I’d give my life not to.
At the station, they lead me through hallways that smell like disinfectant and old fear. I keep my head down, my body tense, every instinct screaming to fight.
They put me in an interview room with a metal table and two chairs, and a blinking camera hanging in the corner.
The door shuts. Minutes pass. It feels like an eternity.
Finally, two detectives come in. They ask questions. Generic questions.
How did you meet her?
Why is she living with you?
Is there a romantic relationship?
Did you isolate her from family or friends?
