Thankfully, they don't press the shower issue. I finally get a moment to myself upstairs.
First, I pull the crystal from my pocket. Celestite. Smooth. Pale blue. It looks like nothing special, just a polished stone, but the book said it needs to be awakened. Right now, it's silent. Waiting. Just like me. I wrap it back up and bury it deep in the closet behind old folded sweaters.
Then I step into the shower. Hot water, real solitude. I scrub until the dirt is gone. But their fingerprints remain. Faint bruises, fierce grasp marks, all painted across my skin like a map of surrender.
It feels like something shifted inside me, but I'm not ready to deal with that. So I towel off, dress in soft, oversized clothes, and pull my hair up into something presentable.
I barely make it downstairs before headlights flash across the window. Winston's car.
A moment later, the man himself walks in—slow, solid, sure of his place in the world. There's a kind smile on his face that widens once he sees me.
"Sage. Lovely to see you again," Winston says, his voice rich and steady, with something quietly melodic beneath it.
"You too, Winston," I reply, keeping my tone light.
He settles into the armchair, casual and confident. Asher moves without a word to the cabinet, retrieving a bottle with a dark liquid and pouring a generous glass.
"'Preciate that, Colonel," Winston says, lifting the drink with a small smile. "You always keep the good stuff for me."
"Of course," Asher responds, taking his place nearby, standing like a guard—his usual military posture.
I take the sofa. Kayden perches on the armrest beside me. Close enough to remind me he's there, but not pressing. The warmth of him lingers. Winston's eyes flick between the three of us, and a faint knowing smile plays on his lips.
I cut in before he can say something clever. "You said there was news."
Winston nods, sips once more, then sets the glass down. His face shifts, light no more. "Had some visitors at the bar. Said they were looking for a missing person. Someone they cared about."
My body goes rigid. The calm I'd held begins to fray. "What did you tell them?"
"Told them I've seen you. Said you passed through, looked kind but troubled. Mentioned heading north. Kept it just close enough to the truth to feel real. Sent them chasing shadows."
The breath I let out feels like a storm finally passing. "They believed it?"
"They seemed to," he confirms. "Didn't push further."
"How did they look?" Asher asks.
Winston leans back, recalling. "Woman was fierce. South Asian, strong build, had that stare like she could set a man straight with just a look. Made me think of Astrid."
"Darlene," I say. "Darius's second. He senther..."
"And the other?" Kayden prompts.
Winston nods. "Young fella. Blond. Blue eyes. Bit softer in the face. Didn't seem the type to break bones, but he didn't look like a pushover either."
"Johnny," I murmur. "He was on my team."
"I remember them," Kayden says, his voice dipping darker. "I remember them well."
"They asked about others too. Showed me photos. Rough-looking guys. Mafia style. Leather jackets, mean faces. I told them I'd never seen them, and I haven't."
"And you won't," Asher says calmly. "That's all you need to know."
Winston gives a single, respectful nod. No more questions.
The silence that follows is heavy. Both brothers turn to me, waiting.
I draw in a breath and push past the tightness in my chest. "This means I can work atCole'swithout looking over my shoulder. If they followed the trail north, they won't loop back."
