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“Oh my God. I’m… I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t plan for it to happen. I was going to tell you today. I thought it couldn’t hurt if we just hung out and then… things got out of control and… Ugh,” she groans, covering her face with her hands.
I stop her. “Al, it’s fine. I’m not mad.”
I’m not Kendrick. I don’t think I own the right to tell people who they can be with.
“Really?” She peeks at me through her fingers.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I saw you leaving when I came home. You looked upset. You still do.”
She steps aside to let me in and closes the door. I open my arms for her. She walks into my embrace.
“So you like him, huh?” I say mid hug.
“What? No, I-I don’t.” She trips over her lies.
I cock an eyebrow. “Let’s try that again. With less babbling this time. Then maybe I’ll believe you.”
We pull away.
“I swear, I don’t know what it is about him,” she gives in. “After we…” She pauses. “You know, I felt different. I didn’t want to leave or sneak out when he was sleeping. I didn’t even want to block him on everything and change my name. So when he asked if I wanted breakfast, I… I ran for the hills.”
“Let me get this straight. You ran for the hills because you wanted to stay?”
She stops to think for a second and nods. “Yep.”
I laugh and walk to her kitchen. Same ol’ Allie.
“Where’s your mom’s not-so-secret wine stash? We’re going to need it.”
HAZE
Don’t do it, Haze.
Don’t fucking do it.
Sitting in my car and staring at the creepiest of buildings, I battle my inner voice. I shouldn’t be here. I should be home, watching Kendrick mope around and waiting for Winter to come back from Allie’s. I also shouldn’t go in this motel—but fuck, do I want to. My phone goes off in my pocket.
It’s a text from Winter.
Winter: Hey babe. How’s your night going? I made amends with Allie but am currently reconsidering it.
Haze: Why?
Winter: She ordered pineapples on her pizza. Can you order Holy Water?
I laugh quietly, text back that I miss her, and ask when she’s coming home. I need to be there when she does. She’s already suspicious because of this morning. Investing in a shitty motel? Really, Haze? I cringe just thinking about it. I panicked and a bunch of BS burst out of my mouth. She didn’t believe me at first—of course she didn’t. Nothing can describe the fear I felt when she pulled away from me, took her hand back like she wasn’t mine. I told her I was going to take a shower, locked myself in the bathroom, and sat on the floor with my head in my hands for five minutes straight. I tried to think of a way not to lose her. Because I can’t lose her.
No fucking way I’ll survive losing Winter Kingston.
I’m stuck. I can’t tell her the truth—the organization made that clear—but now? I’m not sure I even want to. If this morning is anything to go by, she most likely wouldn’t take it well. She’d think I only came for Marcus. That I used her. She’d be wrong. Dead wrong. Why can’t I just let it go, be happy with my girlfriend, unsee Desiree’s blood on my hands? Forget her cold, tiny fingers wrapped around mine?
It would all be so much easier.
Dragging myself out of my car, I walk to the entrance of the hellhole. Maybe it’ll look less creepy on the inside.
The door opens with a creak and a bell goes off.
Nope, definitely just as creepy on the inside.
