Page 181 of Kentrell

Boots on wet pavement, scarf still on her head, running toward the tape like she couldn’t feel the cold.

I followed—close enough to back her if needed, but giving her space to move.

A uniformed cop stepped in front of her at the barricade.

“That’s my home,” she barked before he could say a word. “What happened?”

The cop checked his notepad like this was just another line on his report.

“Small fire started on the second floor. Contained before it spread further… but we recommend you don’t enter until the fire department clears it.”

Zoe wrapped her arms around herself, biting back whatever was sitting on her tongue. Her jaw locked tight.

I stepped in.

“She can’t stay here,” I told the cop, already shifting my focus back to her. “Zoe… come to my place.”

Her head was already shaking before I finished the sentence. “No. My mom’s a few blocks over. I’ll go there.”

“Zoe—”

“Kentrell,” she said, soft but firm. Cutting me off with that damn polite finality I hated.

“Thank you… but no.”

The same woman who had clung to me… kissed me like she couldn’t breathe without me… was now breaking out her independent-woman armor like we hadn’t just made this official a few hours ago.

I clenched my jaw, swallowing down the irritation… and the guilt that snuck up behind it.

I didn’t have to light the match to know who did this.

I didn’t have proof… not yet.

But my gut was already screaming the name.

Still… I nodded.

“I’ll take you.”

The drive to her mother’s was quick. A brick bungalow over on Blackstone, just around the corner from the park. One of those South Side staples—with white columns on the porch, flowerpots lining the stairs, and a tiny wind chime above the door that caught the breeze like it had something to say.

Zoe didn’t wait for me to park. Again.

She jumped out before I could come to a full stop, running toward the house like a kid who just had their bike stolen and couldn’t wait to get inside to tell.

No knock.

Just a frantic search through her coat pocket until she found her keys.

I watched her disappear through the door, heart racing like the fire hadn’t even cooled yet.

I sat there… debating.

She needed me. That much was clear.

But stepping foot inside her mama’s house?

That was a whole different game.

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