wed the security sca

s as usual was being stitched back together with invisible thread. Jaxon was up before da

the kitchen as she pour

But he'd stayed in the room with Leo l

eye across the

ut most of

d mee

d a pres

he sound of his dad's voice

e to Principal Hargrove. You don'

d, then look

t have to talk. You j

no

said. Quiet

't hide hi

his face. "I'll have the dr

a napkin and handed him his b

ut the door, J

you did yesterday,"

your child like a huma

ed. "That. And

conside

you'r

h that,

e was quiet again

t the island, staring into her cof

out her phone

ER

r lunch? I

I

lace o

ER

eed loud.

I

le

, slipping into the warmth of cinnamon and

nsion," Nina teased as she handed Emery a

ke a shake

e every

story-the bang, Leo's reaction, Jaxon's distance, and the strange

d. "And every time I think I've found

ou lik

even kn

ised an

ed. "But he's still a fortress. And he carries

the

one keeping

that's the

ave her

, troubled son, live-in arrangement-it's basica

isn't

u haven't already ima

h under it. She had imagined more

ced at h

k. Leo gets home i

ing air before going back i

o the gates when

ry V

tu

light gray sweater and jeans. He had soft brown e

e blinked.

idn't expect to run into yo

e you do

late lunch. And then I see you walking around li

. "That was

ook exactl

ia

e corrected

second, the surprise st

" Lucas said. "Are you

hesi

ner. Real dinner. No billionaire che

ile. "Okay. Dinn

ut his phon

quickly. Lucas winke

ost me ag

him go, a li

life. Someone who didn't look at her like she

king again, lig

the front doors of the mansio

qu

still at sc

eone's watchi

ht smile. "You have a gue

gue

iss Ele

froze.

ready knew

oned it once. B

half-sister. Socialite.

ory loveseat, legs crossed like royalty, a glass of wine in

she said smoot

t be the

d forward. "

ile. "Oh, I'm family. I'm

ief

secrets until they start b

He didn't say yo

head. "That's b

ned. "I do

r wine. "It's time someone looked aft

she smi

get used