Page 113 of Tag

It wasn’t only Sass I was frustrated with. None of them said anything about the bird or the rock through the window. They could have told any of us, but since we didn’t speak up about The Hunt first, they wanted to play games. They were lucky I wasn’t the one who found out first. If I didn’t love these girls like I did my sister, this would’ve gone much differently.

I kept my pace steady as I passed them. “Next time something like that happens, don’t let us hear about it from an outsider.” I tossed parting words over my shoulder, “Go check on her in five minutes.”

I stalked toward my truck, yanked the door open, and slammed it shut behind me hard enough to make the glass vibrate. The cab was too quiet. My hands clenched the wheel, then released, then clenched again.

I needed to chill the fuck out.

Tonight was a win in more ways than one.

Every second I just spent with her was already replaying in my head like a fever dream. I reached for my phone, flicked open the food delivery app, and ordered her some dinner—real food. Chicken Alfredo, garlic twists, and her favorite tiramisu from a small cafe near campus. It’d show up after I left, but it didn’t matter. She’d know it was from me. She deserved better than burnt toaster pastries. Sass was a hell of a cook, but never made time for it anymore. I made a mental note to make sure she wasn’t surviving off Hemlock & Bean, and purely processed food going forward.

The truck rumbled to life beneath my hands, headlights cutting through the dark as I peeled out of her driveway. The road ahead was empty, but my head wasn’t. I hit the hands-free button on the steering wheel to make a call. Cade picked up on the second ring.

“Everything gravy?” he asked in way of greeting.

“Are you still with Macy?” I cut straight through the noise.

There was movement on his end. A shift of fabric, the faint squeak of a mattress.

“Just finished,” he relayed. “Perfect timing. You and Little Sanj—what happened?”

“We’re working it out.” I relaxed my grip on the steering wheel before I did real damage. “This weekend sets everything in motion.”

He partially covered the mic to tell Macy to get dressed. When he came back, the boredom in his tone was obvious. If I didn’t know what his real motive was, I would have a lot to say about him fucking that devious bitch.

“What’d she say about the window?” he asked.

“Not much, but I didn’t give her a chance to. She doesn’t know how we found out. The only thing she hasn’t mentioned yet is the photo angle or any text messages.”

I dragged a hand through my hair. “Reaper should have the solution for the window soon.”

Cade let out a dry laugh. “He was probably glad to have something to do. You know how bored he’s been lately.”

“Yeah, at least he’ll be rejoining us next year.”

“God help whoever pisses him off first.”

I laughed lowly.

“And you’re sure everything is all good?” Cade asked again, quieter.

I exhaled, glancing at the dash. “I feel like me and you have gone through a role reversal. I’m fine, Cade. If anything, I have some tension to work out, but I’m not even close to slipping.” I paused. “I could eat, though.”

He chuckled. “Wanna hit up the Nest?”

“Nah. Think I’m gonna cook.”

“You almost here?”

I glanced at the time. “Five minutes out.”

“Cool. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

The call ended just as I heard him tell Macy to get out of his bed. I knew his patience was wearing thin. If she made the mistake of asking him about Sanj again, she’d be fortunate if being told to leave was the only thing that happened. I loosened my grip on the wheel. The turn onto our street came easily. I didn’t even have to think about it. I parked along the curb and killed the engine, letting silence settle.

I sat there, arms crossed, my head leaned back, staring out the window with my legs spread because I was so fucking hard I could’ve cracked the gearshift if I moved wrong. All I could see was her wearing nothing but my hoodie, and her sweet voice when she whispered,“You’ve always been my safe place, Rye.”

As if it were a confession.

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