t so jumpy whe

ce like a well-sharpened blade. Calm

up, but I turned slowly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear li

ing about," I said coolly, pra

ittle too protectively over the drawer-and back to

errible lia

ath. He stepped into the room like he owned it-and well, maybe he did. His gaze swept over everything, but I knew it was that

ing to lean against the vanity, arms cross

ossed to match mine. "I want to know what you th

u think I've f

g. "Because you've been... twitchy. Asking questions you think n

aybe I'm just trying to f

tion. But don't get too comfortable acting like you'r

urious. I hated how he always sounded like he was ten steps a

tle, voice dropping. "Do you

ked. "

someone asks questions they already know the answers to, ju

half a second. "What

lingering. "Maybe I just want to k

ven't

hummed, u

d. The screen lit up with Noah's name, and

quickly. "Giv

nd, but he didn

ay, pressing the pho

y but concerned. "You o

tired, what do

I couldn't sleep. Felt like something was wrong.

"Don't cal

ow what

oa

ou sound like Mum did when she was still

rising in my throat.

pa

miss

ay," I w

come

my eyes.

making

napped gent

t don't wait until it's

won

still there-arms folded, leaning against the far wall now, wa

that?"

" I said

No one sounds like

him toward the bed. "A

H

s eyes but didn't push

ngers. "You know," he began, his voice taking on that maddeningly smooth tone again, "so

p, confuse

ly. "People don't always want the truth. The

ur version

bother with versions. I pr

o his inner pocket, pulling s

enve

I'd hidden-or

and, tapping it against his palm. "I found this on the

sn't possible. I

ond envelope? D

pped them when I

ted, but I

es. "Old headlines can stir up... intense emot

he edge of t

d toward

ot to lose sleep over it. After all, the

shut be

rt pounding, realising

y knows e