Page 91 of Symphony for Lies

Zane’s amusement at my reaction to the car horn flashed through my mind, and I felt irritation bubble up.

The second I opened the door, I was hit with a wave of laughter and chatter.

Stacy, Layla, and Tiana stood on the porch carrying armfuls of snacks, board games, and drinks.

“Surprise!” Layla squealed, throwing herself at me, which just led to a group hug.“Since you’ve been MIA, we decided to ambush you!”

Tiana nodded, tapping my shoulder. “Exactly! Stacy said you need it.” Her eyes studied me carefully, scanning my face for signs of distress.

Warmth spread through my chest.I had gotten so caught up in the chaos of everything that I had forgotten that I wasn’t alone. I had people who would catch me when I fell.

“Thank you.” I stepped aside, letting them in.

Stacy dropped onto my grandmother’s favorite chair, her oversized hoodie swallowing her frame. She lazily toyed with the end of her braided hair, eyes sharp despite her relaxed posture.

Tiana sprawled beside me on the couch, and Layla curled up on my other side, tucking her legs underneath her. As we made ourselves comfortable, she removed her hijab, revealing her long, wavy brown hair.

The energy in the room shifted.

For the first time in days, things felt normal.

We laughed, caught up, and talked like nothing had changed.

Then, Layla suddenly got serious. “Ali told me he saw you at a crime scene.”

I should’ve known it would come up, so I took a deep breath and told them everything.

The case. The coded messages. Zane. His mother. Everything.

Stacy, despite already knowing bits and pieces, looked stunned.

Layla was pacing.

And Tiana let out a low whistle. “Wow.”

“Okay, but…” Stacy’s eyes gleamed. “...did you sleep with Zane again?”

I blinked. “Uh—”

She raised a brow.

I sighed and nodded.

“Well, I’m glad it went better than the last time. So, are you two, like, together now?”

I bit my lip. “I think so?”

Tiana shrieked, “Wait, wait, wait! You think?!”

“I asked him, and he said I belong to him.”

She smacked my arm. “That’s hot!”

Layla wedged herself between us. “Hmm… we still need to see how it goes. So far, it sounds like he’s really into you. But what’s actually worrying me are those messages.”

Stacy nodded. “If you feel like you’ve found a lead, we should check it out.”

I hesitated. “But—”

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