“Isn’t she with her new lady love?” Ben asks Cassidy, as she steals a piece of waffle.
She talks around her food. “Yeah, but I don’t know where. Probably in Connolly somewhere.”
Konnor narrows his eyes. “Who? Why Connolly? Who’s she seeing in fucking Connolly?”
Cassidy chews the food in her mouth, then swallows. “You don’t wanna know.”
Konnor glares at her. “Who, Cassidy?”
“Stacey Grange.”
Oh—a name I recognise. “I know Stacey. She was friends with my brother for a while. She went to Connolly High, right?”
“Did you grow up in The District, too?” Ben asks, brows furrowing in surprise.
I nod. “Yeah?—"
“Great!” Konnor grunts out. “So she’s been hanging out withthatcrowd.”
Ben chuckles, eyeing Konnor. “Don’t worry, Konnor. The boys know to behave themselves around here. They’ve grown up a lot since you left to study.”
The boys…
Ah… Do they mean…
“Are you talking about The Butcher Boys?” I ask, though I already know the answer. Stacey Grange is practically family to the Butchers—everyone knows that.
Cassidy opens her mouth, her eyes on me, then closes it over a word, then tries again. “You know them?”
“Not really, but doesn’t everyone in the District know of The Butcher Boys?” I offer Konnor an apologetic smile, remembering how much he dislikes Max Butcher. All the Butchers have a very bad reputation. It’s part of growing up in The District. A collective secret. We all know who runs this city—old money. The Butcher Boys… they’re connected, but I don’t know how.
Konnor scoffs. “Yeah, alright. I’ll have a chat with Flick when I see her next, but you stay clear of them, Cassidy.”
“Yeah, yeah, big brother.” Cassidy rolls her eyes, wandering back inside the house.
“Glad you’re back, son, so you can do some of the fatherly duties for me.” Ben chuckles. “Makes my life easier when you’re around to watch the girls.”
“I hate those fuckers,” Konnor grumbles, cracking his fingers one at a time. He looks adorable when he pouts. I want to sit on his lap, smooth the lines forming between his brows, but as I consider doing it, my phone vibrates on the table.
We all look at it.
The word Dad flashes.
My eyes land on the name, but my hands don’t lift to retrieve the phone. Dad. Erik. “I should take this.” Smoothing down my clothes, I slowly stand, nod politely at Ben and Konnor, and walk around the corner of the house.
Out of earshot.
I lift my phone to my ear, my fingers trembling. “Dad.” I lean against a pillar and hug my stomach with my free arm, staring out at Cassidy’s studio. Past it. To nothing.
“How are you?” he asks, his voice muffled and bouncing off walls, interrupted by white noise.
“Why is it so echoey?” I plug my other ear and squint.
“I’m at the hospital.”
My pulse drums through my veins.
“Erik is awake. He’s been asking for you. You’re the only person he wants to see—” He continues to talk to me, but all the air leaves my lungs in an instant.
