Page 21 of Fanged Temptation

“Noted. But there’s no need to worry.”

Leaving Jordan's office, the urgency of the situation crashed down on me.Lay low.But where? The thought of going home to an empty apartment twisted my stomach with anxiety. The walls that had once been a sanctuary now felt like a trap. Compromised.

I considered calling Hunter, Dylan, anyone, but… no. I could not explain the situation to them, could not bear the shame of it. And even if they did understand, it was selfish – dragging them into a mess of my own making.

On impulse, I found myself heading toward the marina. The rhythmic sound of water lapping against the docks was soothing, and my heart knew – even if my head didn’t – exactly where I was headed.

Leah had filled me in on her living situation during our crawl through the mall. A houseboat, and a dinky little engine that could carry it out onto the water. Away from prying eyes. It was a stupid idea, a dangerous one too if Leah were to be caught in the crossfire. Buthedidn’t know about Leah, nobody did. I’d made sure of that.

Arriving at her boat, bobbing gently on the water, I hesitated for a moment.

“Myrtle.” An odd thing, to be greeting a boat, but the house had character. It creaked and groaned like it was alive.

I looked around the harbor before stepping onto the deck and knocking on the fiberglass door. The sound echoed slightly, oddly hollow around the quiet dock.

Leah appeared at a window, red hair escaping her ponytail, surprise evident on her face. "Maxine? What are you doing here?"

"Heeeey," I started, rocking on my heels, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "I was wondering... could I hang out here for a bit?”

10

Leah

Maxine was on my boat.

I stared at her, partially aware of the dust collecting on the window pane between us.I need to clean that.“You… want to hang out?”

“Yes.” Maxine’s gaze flitted from my face, to the stain on my sweater, to the smudge on the window and back again. She couldn’t quite meet my eye.

“Like – now?”

“Yes.” She scuffed her foot on the deck. “And maybe… longer?”

I shifted on my feet, peering at her through the glass. “How long?”

“A while.” Her eyes were darting around now, sweeping the secluded marina like she was looking for something – someone.

“You want to stay here.” It was more of a statement than a question as I came to understand what she was implying.

“Yes.”

"On my boat?" I couldn't keep the surprise from my voice. Maxine was many things, but a lover of the quaint or rustic, she was not. Myrtle, with her rather compact living space and lack of high-end luxuries, was about as far from Maxine’s usual haunts as you could get.

"Yeah, I know it's not exactly the Ritz, but…” Maxine let out a small, nervous laugh. Her eyes were still scanning the docks. “Look, can I come in?"

Her request hung in the air, laden with unspoken tension. Something was off. I studied her for a moment, chewing on my lip, taking in her carefully maintained composure – barely masking an undercurrent of distinct unease.

"All right." I moved to the door and swung it open, stepping back to allow her entry. “Welcome to Casa de Myrtle.”

Maxine stepped into the cabin, a cloud of floral perfume in her wake, and looked around with a rather critical eye considering my generous hospitality. "This is… nice.”

I sighed and turned on my heel, stomping deeper into the cabin. “You can say what you really think. I know it’s not exactly your taste.”

“No, I like it!” Maxine insisted, stepping over a gym bag bursting with diving gear, and perching on an overturned bucket. She folded her hands in her lap, looking significantly out of place amongst my meagre belongings. “It’s very twee.”

“Mmhm.” I elbowed the bathroom door shut – it had a habit of swinging loose no matter how many times I tampered with the hinges – and leaned against it, folding my arms over my chest.

For a moment, we simply stared at each other, the conversation tapering into an extended silence. Maxine was perched awkwardly on her bucket, her fingertips tapping sporadically in her lap. She glanced around the cabin, nose lightly wrinkling at the pinewood furniture and shabby blue cushions.

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