Reuben’s POV
I leaned back on the old leather couch in my apartment, which I preferred to call my "crib." The smell of coffee lingered in the air, though the mug on the table had gone cold hours ago.
The muted city noises outside gave my space an eerie kind of stillness, just the way I liked it. I picked up my phone from the side table and absentmindedly scrolled through the messages I hadn’t cared to read.
It buzzed in my hand. Miriam’s name flashed on the screen. Right on time.
I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear. “What’s the update?” I asked, skipping pleasantries.
Her voice came through, smooth and confident as always. “Lila trusts me now,” she said. “It took some time, but I’ve been very helpful around her. She appreciates that. But Caden…” She let out a breath. “Ca
