Page 77 of Connor

I huffed a humorless laugh. "You have a lot more faith in me than I do, Mom."

She shrugged. "Then borrow some of mine."

Something in my chest clenched.

She patted my arm, stepping past me, heading toward the boxes Aiden had stacked in the corner. I watched her go, my mind still a mess, my emotions tangled into something too complicated to unravel right now.

But one thing was clear. This place didn’t own me anymore.

I turned, heading back into the living room, where Aiden was still sorting through shit, muttering under his breath.

"You ready?" he asked without looking up.

I nodded.

"Yeah," I said. "Let’s get this done."

And for the first time in a long fucking time, I meant it.

Chapter 24

Summer

The apartment was quiet. The kind of quiet that felt like a held breath. Or maybe I was just holding my breath.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my knees pulled to my chest, watching Connor. He stood by the window, shirtless, his back to me, the dim glow of the streetlights casting long shadows across his skin. The faint flicker of a passing car highlighted the muscles in his back, the curve of his spine, the tension that still lingered there, even now.

Something felt different tonight.

Maybe it was the way he seemed lighter, freer—presentin a way I had never seen before. Maybe it was the fact that he had actually come home early like he promised, picked me up from school, and made me dinner like he belonged here instead of just passing through.

Or maybe… maybe it was just me.

Maybe I was finally ready to say what I had been afraid of for months.

"You were gone all day."

Connor turned lazily. His jeans hung low on his hips, his stomach tight, the light catching the fresh bruises on his ribs—remnants of Victor’s fists. The cut on his lip had faded some, but there was something else about him tonight. Something quieter.

"Had some shit to take care of," he said simply.

I studied him.

There was no edge in his voice, no bite, no challenge. Just… something even. Something settled.

I should have asked where he went. Should have demanded to know what had changed, why he looked so damn okay all of a sudden. Because that wasn’t how this worked. Connor didn’t juststop being restless. He didn’t just stop fighting the air around him.

Unless…

Unless he didn’t need to anymore.

The thought made my stomach twist.

Maybe he had figured it out. Maybe he had finally decided. And maybe—maybe—it wasn’t me.

I wanted to say something that would make me feel like I still had control. But instead, my voice came out softer than I intended.

"You seem different."

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