Page 192 of Money Reigns

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The thought alone cracks something open inside me. Because part of me—

God, part of me wants to go to him.

The phone buzzes on the bed.

War.

My body stills.

The sound is soft, but it detonates through me.

I just stare at it, frozen, watching his name flash over and over.

My pulse hammers so hard it shakes the air.

My heart is a traitor, pounding faster, louder, like it still believes he’s the safe place it remembers.

My throat burns.

Tears sting my eyes, hot and stupid.

He can’t fix this with that voice.

He can’t make this betterwith a word.

I shouldn’t.

I know what happens when I do.

He’ll say my name, and I’ll fold.

He’ll sound sorry, and I’ll forget what he took from me.

But the silence is worse.

It presses against my chest, heavy and endless.

My hand trembles as I reach for the phone.

I shouldn’t.

But I do.

I swipe the screen, breath hitching.

My voice comes out small, cracked, betraying everything I wanted to hide.

“Why?”

Chapter thirty-nine

War

Ishut down my screen at two sharp. Time to leave. Time to get her.

I stride down to Olivia’s office, push the door open. Empty. Her chair still tucked in, her laptop closed.

I frown.

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