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I barely heard the rest because my brain betrayed me, flashing back to last night. To the quiet tension in the pool house. To the heat of his mouth on mine. The weight of him between my thighs. The way he called me his.

And then this morning…

A rush of heat crawled up my neck. I glanced up and froze. Sugarmama was watching me from behind her glass, that same knowing look she always wore when someone at the table thought they were keeping a secret.

She didn’t say a word. She smiled slowly, like she already knew the secret I’d stuck between last night and this morning. I went back to eating, pretending nothing had changed since the last time I’d come home, knowing everything had.

If only I knew how much further my life was about to unravel.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

SANJANA

After breakfast, I retreated to my room, the only space in the house that hadn’t changed in years, except maybe for the updated paint and the newer chandelier my mom couldn’t resist adding. Everything else was the same. My bed was made, the comforter crisp and floral, the window seat dust-free, pillows perfectly arranged. My mother’s version of love always included lemon-scented floor polish and aggressively organized drawers.

I set my bags down and took off my house slippers before plugging my phone in beside the bed. Light filtered in through the sheer curtains, soft and hazy. I took a minute to check my notifications. I hadn’t touched my phone since walking into the house. My parents had a strict no-phone rule during meals. Family time was sacred, and today of all days, I hadn’t dared break it.

1 New Message from 1031

Sent 52 minutes ago

I know what you did last night.

I bet they don’t. Should I tell them?

This was the only message they’d sent today. It had to be a bluff. A lucky guess meant to rattle me. And yet, I texted back anyway, my frustration spiking.

Who is this?

The reply came immediately.

1031

You’ll see soon.

I want you to scream for me, too.

I stared at the screen, the wordsI want you to scream for me tooglowing back at me like they could crawl out and wrap themselves around my throat. I wanted to call someone, but it wasn’t even eleven yet, and I knew damn well everyone had been up till the ass crack of dawn. Roxxi had probably just gone to bed. Ari would have gotten all her schoolwork done and then read a whole series in one sitting. Cloe would answer, but only because she had a sixth sense for things like this.

Ryder and Cade were spending time with their parents and Cadence this morning, like they always did on Saturdays when they were home. I wouldn’t intrude on that, no matter how much I wanted to hear his voice.

For half a second, I debated calling Ashton.

But something stopped me from doing that, too, and it had nothing to do with guilt. I didn’t want to rely on him. I needed to stop relying on any specific person if I wanted a chance in hell of making it through this Hunt. There were going to be times when I wasn’t always with someone. It wasn’t realistic to think otherwise.

I tossed my phone down and went into my closet. Everything inside was color-coded, pressed, and arranged by season. I grabbed a soft cream set, deciding I could at least get my daily shower out of the way. In the bathroom, gold-handled taps hissed to life, steam curling up. I stripped down and stepped beneath the spray. Even as the heat fogged the glass and soaked through my hair, my mind stayed alert, fixated on the message from 1031. By the time I stepped out and towel-dried my hair, tension still sat heavy on my chest.

The hem of my shorts grazed my thighs as I moved.

My phone was lit up with a flurry of new notifications.

Ari

Anyone up?

I replied instinctively

I am.

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