Page 42 of Siren Problems

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Every syllable.

And I don’t know if that makes her braver than me, or just more foolish.

But either way, I pull her closer.

Let her rest her head back on my shoulder.

And for one more breath... I pretend the sea’s forgotten us.

CHAPTER 15

LUNA

The first thing I register when I wake up is the cold.

Not the temperature—though yeah, the shack’s drafty as hell—but the kind of cold that seeps into your chest when you reach for someone and findnothing.

I sit up slowly, blanket tangled around my hips, hair a mess, thighs still sore in the best kind of way.

And Calder’s gone.

The other side of the mattress is cool.

Untouched.

Like he vanished hours ago.

No note. No noise. Just air.

Goddammit.

I rub my face, heart sinking faster than a ley anchor.

I don’t panic. I don’t cry.

I’ve done this before—opened up, cracked a door, thought maybe,maybesomeone would stay.

Spoiler: They never do.

I pull on my shirt and jeans with robotic efficiency, my fingers moving faster than my thoughts. Because if I start thinking about how he held me last night... or the way his voice almosttrembledwhen I touched his face...

I won’t be able to breathe.

So instead, I throw my hair into a bun, jam my feet into my boots, and walk out into the morning like I’m not bleeding from the inside out.

Back at the lab,Mira takes one look at me and tosses a croissant in my general direction.

“You look like heartbreak and bad decisions.”

“Good morning to you too,” I mutter, catching the pastry one-handed.

She raises an eyebrow. “Did he bail?”

“Of course he bailed.”

Kai snorts from the corner. “He left after sex? Wow. That’s almost vintage toxic masculinity. Is he gonna turn into seafoam next?”

“No,” I say tightly, taking a huge bite of flaky carbs to avoid screaming. “He’s gonna turn into a ghost with great cheekbones and a martyr complex.”

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