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"I'm the only one who does the tying in the bedroom, Lee," Braden throws back, not missing a beat.
Before we all get a play by play of Braden’s adventures in bed, our attention is pulled elsewhere. Ava's uncomfortable gag makes me cringe as she places a hand over her mouth and rushes past the four of us, heading to what I can only assume would be the bathroom. I watch Oakley's eyes pop open before he's taking off after her in long strides while reaching into his pocket to grab his phone when it begins to ring.
"Tell Ava how bad Tyler is in the sack, little H?" Braden asks, looking between us with a grin. He must pick up on the tension that has morphed around the both of us in an uncomfortable second skin when his eyebrows jump. "Or not?"
"Not," Gracie grumbles before I can answer, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at me from her place beside the fridge, a few too many feet away.
"Trouble in paradise?" he prods, unable to help himself. I shove him with my shoulder and send him a steely glare that effectively shuts him up.
"Gray?" The quivering sound of Oakley's usual confident voice makes ice form in my gut, sharp edges tearing me to pieces. I'm moving towards Gracie without missing a beat. I watch her head shake furiously seconds before her knees buckle, her body folding in on itself as she collapses, falling right into my open arms.
An agonizing, soul-tearing cry rips through the room and her body begins to shake with ruthless sobs, leaving my jaw unhinged as I look over at Oakley, phone resting unlocked in his hand. The pure anguish flaring in his watery eyes says everything so he doesn't have to.
Anne.
She's gone.
