Page 123 of Show Me

“I’m not fine.” The words are barely audible over the slamming of a truck door a few feet away. “I crossed a line.” I stare at the ground. “I knew I would. I knew it before it happened.”

“Then why–”

“I don’t know,” I cut in, sharper than I mean to. I press my lips together, then shake my head. “That’s not true. I do know.” I let out a breath, slower this time. “But I know exactly how this ends.”

Silence. Emily doesn’t interrupt. Doesn’t soften it. Just lets me say it.

“He doesn’t stay.” I shove a strand of hair behind my ear as a gust of wind flips a piece of paper down the street. “He doesn’t do that. And I’m not… I’m not someone people stay for anyway.”

“That’s not–”

“It is,” I say, not harsh, just certain as I cross my arms over my chest. “And I’m not asking him to. That’s the point.” My fingers tighten against my sleeves. “I just…” I stop, press my lips together, then force it out. “I just can’t seem to stop.”

That’s the worst part. Not the fear. Not the stalking. That. Even though he said it would never happen again, a part of me aches for it to happen again. What kind of a fool does that?

The biggest kind. The kind that wants to be crushed into a million jagged pieces.

Emily exhales, looking out across the lot before turning back to me. “Then you need to be careful. About both things.”

“I know.”

“You’re dealing with someone who’s escalating.” Her face is pinched, tense eyes and downturned lips. “And you’re letting yourself get pulled into something that’s going to hit just as hard when it drops.”

“I know,” I say it again because I do. Because knowing doesn’t seem to change anything.

She studies me one last time, then nods once. “If anything changes, you call me too. Not just him.”

“I will.” And I mean that. I straighten, forcing my shoulders back, pulling myself together piece by piece. “I’ve got this.”

It sounds more solid than I feel. Emily doesn’t argue. Doesn’t agree either. Just watches me, then takes another sip of coffee.

“Yeah.” She nods. “You do.”

We both know that’s not the whole truth, but we’re best friends and best friends build each other up, not shove each other down.

Tears sting my eyes as I yank her against me, jostling her coffee cup, and we hug on the sidewalk like we haven’t seen each other in months.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Xavier

The wind cuts straight through the framing of the half-built house, carrying the smell of fresh lumber and wet earth. Nail guns pop in uneven bursts, compressors cycling, radios overlapping across the lot.

Normal job site noise. Normal day.

I keep my focus on the window frame in front of me, tape stretched tight, pencil behind my ear.

“Level’s off,” I mutter, adjusting the shim.

“Your level’s fine.” A deep voice calls from behind me.

I glance over my shoulder. Jake stands in the doorway, hands shoved into his jacket, eyes already on me. Dominic is behind him, scanning the site before stepping in, right on time.

“You get my call?”

Jake nods once. “Yeah.”

Jake steps closer, lowering his voice enough that no one else on the crew can hear. “You said someone got into her yard.”