REED’S POV
The clock on the bedside table blinked 2:03 AM in bold red digits, a mocking reminder of how long I had been awake. I stood by the window of my room, staring out into the dark expanse of the Bennett estate. The cool night air filtered through the slightly ajar window, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside me.
Her words echoed in my mind like a cruel refrain: If Raiden begs me properly, I’ll go back to him.
My fists tightened at my sides as I leaned against the windowsill, the cold marble digging into my palms. The girl who had burrowed her way into my guarded heart had twisted the knife without even realizing it. I had opened up to her—let her see parts of me I kept hidden from everyone else. And in return, she had reminded me why I had vowed to keep my distance
