Page 74 of Abyss

Brie shrugs, pulling Madison into her side. “Either that or he hasn’t found the right person worth offering his time to. I’d like to believe the latter.”

I hold back the bitter noise itching to crawl out of my throat. Clearly, I’m not the ‘right person’ she’s referring to.

And because I can’t help it, hunting for every tiny morsel I can get, I ask, “Did he and Kenna live together?”

“No.” Madison puffs out a laugh. “Let’s just say, I’m lucky Dad could handle living with me for as long as he did, and I’m his daughter!” She shakes her head. “No, they didn’t, and that’s something that worries me for his future. Other than me, he’s never lived with a woman before; I’m not even sure he remembers how to.”

Jesus. My face feels like it’s on fire.

“Plus, he’s so private,” Belinda adds. “In all the time I’ve worked for him, I haven’t once seen his place—not even to drop off his dry cleaning.”

“Well, don’t let that offend you,” Brie piles on. “In the five years Madison and I have been together, I only got an invitation for dinner at his house for the first time last year.”

Belinda raises both her brows. “Yeah, it would take a very unique woman to break down Hudson’s walls enough for him to allow her into his home and his heart. And I just don’t know if someone like that exists.”

As the conversation changes to updates about Brie and Madison’s wedding, my thoughts stay on the previous topic.

Hudson has certainly given me keys to his home. His heart, however? I wonder if he remembers where the keys to that are.

“Hello?”I squint at my phone to see the name on the screen again, my voice sleep-laden and groggy. “Jojo? Are you okay?”

I’m already climbing to my feet, trying to find my bearings, when she answers. Her voice is blanketed behind the echoes of rain and thunder. “Hey Kavi,” I’m positive I hear her sniffle, “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry, I just . . . I just didn’t know who to—”

“Jojo, I’m right here. You never have to apologize for calling me. Where are you?”

She’s quiet for a moment, and all I can hear is the rain again. “In my dad’s shed. He’s not home. Only she is, along with her friends, and I . . . I came here to think. To get away.”

Rubbing my eye with my fist, I blink at the time on my old Dr. Seuss clock—three-twenty-two AM—before turning on the lights in my room. I shuffle over to my closet to grab my raincoat, cursing myself for not talking to her after the last class like I’d intended.

One of the other students and I started chatting about something he was going through, and before I knew it, time was up. I’d convinced myself that Jojo had seemed happier since the last time we spoke, when she told me she washaving trouble with her stepsister. I figured they’d worked out their differences.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I don’t know.” She sobs into the phone. “I just don’t think it’ll ever get better.”

The bleakness in her voice sends chills up my arms. “Okay, okay. Can I come see you? Can you send me your address?”

“I don’t want you to come here for me. It’s raining and—”

“Jojo, listen to me. This is what I’m here for, okay? I gave you guys my number so you could call me, day or night. You did the right thing by calling me. Now, can you please send me your location?”

She’s quiet for another beat, sniffling. “She’ll see your car . . . Can you park farther away? I’ll text you my address. I’m in the backyard, inside the shed.”

I hang up with Jojo, knowing she wouldn’t have called me unless she had no other option. Rushing down the hall bathed with the glow from my nightlights, on hushed steps, I pull on my Doc Martens in the foyer. Grabbing my keys, I pull out my phone and open the Uber app to order myself a cab. I’m interrupted mid-typing when the sound of feet shuffling on the tile has me looking up.

Hudson’s hair sticks up in every direction like he’s run his hands through it incessantly, and he’s scowling at me like he’s just caught me sneaking out. Well, he has, but his glare makes it look like I’m betraying him somehow.

It irritates me, knowing he has no right to act betrayed when I don’t owe him anything but what’s required for this job.

“Where are you going this late?” His voice is thick and raspy.

I swallow, looking down at my app and continuing to type in Jojo’s address, knowing I don’t have time to debate.

Hudson and I have been cordial ever since the night we cuddled in his bed after my nightmare, but the fact that he hasn’t been around much and we still haven’t talked about any of it, I still feel . . . confused. “One of my students is in trouble. She called me, and I need to get to her.”

He only hesitates a moment to process what I’m saying before turning toward his room, speaking to me over his shoulder. “I’ll take you.”

“But . . .” I follow him on hurried steps. “Hudson, don’t worry about it. I’m just going to get an Uber and—”

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