s I couldn't answer, didn't press when I drifted into silence. Instead, he moved around me with quiet care, bringing me warm meals I barel

And I did. I practically abandoned it. I wanted to believe the silence was peace. But peace is a strange th

kin. Then his phone chimed. Just a soft ding, but it pulled me out

The kind of smile that looked effortless, like happiness had found me despite everythi

waiting from an unknown number. But it w

d I know she's safer wit

s too familiar. The phrasing.

d built tremble. He knew. Dominique had known. He'd

ising and falling peacefully, while I'd been losin

led in my chest. I

in. I shook him a

bling. I hadn't realize

when he saw the screen, his f

back, hear

with her this whole time? That you kept it from me w

"I couldn't tell you. It's not sa

I have a right to k

a, lis

t to 'Izalea, lis

to me. I trusted you. You knew ho

for me. "Please,

!" I backed away. "I can't

ttle I had. Desperately, he

on't even know this neighbo

. "Then I'll

side. We'll t

urning to face him. "No," I sa

k. Just stared like the wor

that silence

pered. "You won't

like I could walk away from the betrayal if I walked fast

't loo

the street, I felt s

emo

g on silence I couldn't explain. He didn't ask questions. He just sat besid

had felt l

y felt l

revving behind me. Dominiqu

urn

he said, leaning towar

ng back the sting in my

nt you out

s whole time. Don't

ould see it on his face; he wanted to ex

ab appeared do

pped out of his car, shirtless, barefoot on the street, helpless

dn't

e the driver my destinat

yes, full of something I couldn't

ter. I'd a

looked at me like I was u

really consider them. I'd always kept that door closed, told myself he was like an older brother, someone steady, someone safe.

elt lik

t him and not me? Wh

nt, something else felt

ozens of them crowded around the f

hell..." I

driving?" the

Stay

thing unreadable in his eyes. I turned

. News alerts. Mention

e center of a new embe

rom All-Star Best

ed on the screen

ver even seen that much in m

se. Finally, after days of ignoring

u need to c

r than I expected. No warmth

as alrea

g the front of my building. "I'm not even dressed.

cern. This needs t

ve Belle bring me some

's b

d. "Busy

ce. Then... *cl

n disbelief. Just like

weeks but I needed to be there more than he needed me to. I needed

ed in, only to be met with stares and whispers. A T

accused of embez

d at me, voice

y eyes. The next store did the s

quiet, the kind that lets your thoughts get loud. As we

er. I leaned closer to

urmured. "Isn

he café, scrolling through his phone like it was just anothe

se qui

d been in an accident. But Joe didn't look like some

fi

t take my eyes off him. "Can you sl

hat Joe noticed. For a split second,

gnit

e and slipped into a waiting

. What? Why w

hout hesitation, handed me something to wear, and hugged me gent

lt dirty, like the filth wasn't

hing I had left in me, th

ss had beat

the chaos. I didn't know how to move f

was safety had broken. And