The silence is heavy with everything unsaid.
Conrad exhales slowly. “You want to tell me what’s really going on?”
I don’t answer right away. Because I don’t want to say it out loud. Don’t want to make it real. But Conrad’s not going anywhere.
“She’s been noticed,” I finally say.
His brow furrows. “Who?”
I shoot him a look.
Understanding dawns fast. “The bookstore owner?”
“Tessa,” I snap, sharper than I mean to.
Conrad raises an eyebrow. “Right. Tessa.”
I look away, scanning the treeline like I can avoid the conversation if I don’t meet his eyes.
“Felix knew her name,” I admit.
That gets his full attention.
“Then it’s already spreading,” he says grimly.
“Yeah.”
“And you think it’s because of you.”
“It is because of me.”
Conrad exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “You don’t know that for sure.”
“I don’t need toknow,” I growl. “I can see the pattern.”
He doesn’t argue that. Because he sees it too.
“Then what’s your plan?” he asks after a moment.
I don’t hesitate.
“I cut her off.”
Conrad studies me carefully. “Completely?”
“Yes.”
“No more bookstore visits. No more… hovering.”
I grit my teeth. “No more anything.”
“That’s going to raise questions,” he points out.
“Better questions than targets.”
Conrad nods slowly, considering. “You think distance will be enough?”
“It has to be.”
