I move a tomato to the side with my fork.
Move it back.
“V. North.”
She blinks.
“V. North was me. The piece on Jax two seasons ago. I wrote it. Griffin fed me the angle. I knew it was off. I knew it was off the whole time I was writing it and I knew it was off when I ran it, and I ran it anyway because I was twenty-six and I was tired andI had stopped trusting my own gut about anything connected to him.”
I stop.
“I came to Canyon Bay as Nova Shaw because V. North is dead. I killed her. But the piece is still out there and Griffin knows and he’s been making sure I know he knows and I haven’t told Jax and I haven’t told anyone.”
A pause.
“Until now?”
“Until right now.”
She nods once.
She doesn’t say anything for a long second. I can see her sorting it. The facts. The timing. The damage.
Katarina has the kind of face that stays calm because her brain is already moving.
“Nova.”
“Yeah.”
“You were twenty-six.”
“Yeah.”
“And he was — what. Thirty-two.”
“Thirty-two.”
Her jaw tightens.
“Yeah.”
She doesn’t say I’m sorry. She doesn’t need to. The way she responded is apology enough and I caught it.
“Here’s what I’m going to do.” Quieter now. Faster. The Katarina voice that sets up a meal plan or a recovery protocol — the one she uses when she’s working. “I’m going to tell you a few things and then you’re going to tell me what you want me to do with them, and I’m going to do that thing. Not what I think is best. What you tell me. Because this is yours, and I’m sorry I didn’t see it sooner.”
“Okay.”
“One. He doesn’t get my address from me. He hasn’t been to my house since the wedding. That doesn’t change. Two. I’m not telling him I know. Not yet. He’s better when he doesn’t think anyone’s watching, and right now I want to watch. Three.” She stops. Exhales. “He’s still my brother. I’m not cutting him off in a phone call this afternoon and I’m not going to lie to you about that. But I’m done covering for him. Done managing the family around him. Done pretending he’s the version of himself he plays at Christmas.” She looks at me. “If that’s not enough, tell me. I’ll figure out more.”
“It’s enough.”
“You sure.”
“Yeah.”
“Does Jax know.”
“Some of it.”
