Once. Twice.
My breath catches. Not out of fear. Out of memory.
Because I remember that sound. Because the skull cracking against a wall wasmineonce.
But Levi isn’t done. “You’ll keep your fucking mouth shut,Uncle,” he growls, his voice low and guttural. “You don’t get to speak her name. You don’t get to look at her.”
He slams Gareth again. “You think you were smart, huh? Hiding this shit? You think hurting Cece made you stronger—untouchable?”
Gareth tries to speak but only garbled syllables bubble out of his mouth.
“You’re atraitor,” Levi seethes, shoving him to the floor, breathless. “A fucking coward. And you hurt my wife. So fucking burn in hell.”
My… wife?
I don’t even get a second to dwell on it. I genuinelyexpect agents to intervene when I helplessly look around. Even that Kabir guy is looking at everything unfolding with a curious smirk. I expect someone—anyone—to step forward and stop Levi from getting an assault charge.
But nothing happens. I glance sideways toward Sebastian standing near the team.
His hand is raised in a silent halt. Like the freakin’ agents are taking instructions fromhim.
God! Who is he?
His gaze doesn’t waver. Doesn’t blink. And I realize something that sends a quiet jolt through me: Sebastian didn’t just authorize this.
He orchestrated it. He’s in charge somehow. And he’s letting Levi finish what justice probably cannot.
The room is still loud with Odette’s occasional screaming and sobs of “this is wrong!” and “I didn’t do anything!”—but all of it sounds like cotton to my ears.
Because I’m starting to feel it. The hum behind my eyes. The ache in my limbs. The clawing ants of irritation under my skin.
Withdrawal. Surrender.
I’ve been off Seroquel for three days, and I can feel the fog gathering—no, tightening.
The fog has teeth. I press a hand to my temple, but I don’t let myself sway.
Levi staggers back, somewhat toward me, breathing heavy, jaw clenched. His knuckles are red. But they lose some of that color when he fists them, drawing it back landing a punch on Gareth’s jaw. His own uncle. I feel my blood sinking into the coldness of insensitivity. My eyes no longer register the violence.
It is what it is.
But then Levi looks at me after rendering Gareth to the floor, whimpering and gurgling against his own blood.
And when his eyes find mine, he softens.
He steps toward me, gathers me back into his arms like the weight of what he just did can only be shouldered if I’m there to hold him through it.
CanI?
Levi’s gaze is tactfully avoiding his parents and I can’t seem to find the courage to comfort him. This has to be an awful thing for him.
But I can’t because I’m unable to tether myself to this moment.
It’s almost as if I blink and the whole atmosphere changes. Odette, Thomas, Gareth, and Charles are gone. So are half the agents. My hands are knuckle-tight with Levi’s blazer while his hands are still warm around my waist.
“Sorry about that,” a voice cuts in beside us, far too casual for what just happened. “Didn’t go exactly as planned, but still under control, I’d say.”
I peel myself away from Levi’s chest just enough to glance up. Kabir is smiling, while Sebastian stands beside him—grave and calm.
