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“And you’re not drinking our favorite house white while at Terrazzo. That’s further cause for alarm. You love their wine.”

There’s an explanation for that, but I don’t think it’s the right time to tell anyone, not even my closest friend. The thought of a baby growing inside me feels like my most precious possessionright now, my most valuable secret. I’m going to hold on to it for a little while longer.

“I’m just not feeling it today,” I casually reply. “Besides, I have to go back to work after this. There’s a mountain of evidence to analyze and log from the stash house raid. I’ll need all my wits about me for that particular task.”

“Fair enough,” he sighs and refills his glass.

“How’s Danica?”

He laughs lightly. “Sassy and moody as hell. Tim Jr. and I do our best to mitigate her emotions as best we can. Thankfully, she’s in good health. She’s due at the end of this month, and she’s been experiencing some of those Braxton-Hicks contractions. I learned from our adventure with Timmy to time them before I reach for the go-bag and her OB-GYN’s number.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Danica hit the jackpot with you, and she knows it.”

“What can I say, I’m a patient man,” he replies with a warm smile, but concern quickly returns to his otherwise soft features. “Tassia, you know you can’t control everything.”

“You’re right, I can’t. But I need Trevor to get the hell away from here. I need him to… I don’t know, disappear or something. I can’t even bear the thought of seeing that man again. It makes me sick to my stomach. His presence in this town scares me. I was married to him. I was eager to spend the rest of my life with him.”

“Until he turned out to be a monster. Hindsight is always 20/20 with these things, honey. And Trevor was a master manipulatorwho played his part well. It doesn’t make you weak or dumb, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I tell myself that often,” I say with a shrug. “I just don’t actually believe it.”

“I’m pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to leave New York City,” Timothy frowns, going through his phone. “I think I’ve got his PO’s email here, somewhere. I’m going to contact him.”

I shrug. “I’m not sure. Lucas said he’d follow up with the NYPD, but I don’t think he heard back from them yet.”

“They’re notoriously backlogged, so it might be a while,” Timothy replies. “I, on the other hand, have a direct line to Trevor’s PO. Tell you what. Leave this with me. I’ll make some inquiries and see what’s going on.”

“Oh, Tim, you don’t need to get involved any more than you already have. You’ve got enough on your plate.”

“I have to. You’re like my kid, Tassia. You and I go way back. I’ll always stick up for you, no matter what,” he insists. “And if there’s anything I can do to help get that monster as far away from you as possible, rest assured I will do it. Without hesitation.”

“I’m lucky to have you in my life,” I tell him with a smile.

He gives me a bright smile. “Damn straight. Now, do they still have those squid ink tagliatelle on their lunch menu?”

It feels nice to be around people like Tim. Like Lucas, Mitch, and Tyler. People who value me, who are eager to help me see the better parts of life. Before I met Trevor, I was pretty good at doing that on my own, even when my abusive foster parents before the James family tried hard to break me down.

But Trevor was the one who really chipped away at my self-confidence. His mere presence is a grim reminder of how little I believed in myself. And I don’t want to feel like that ever again.

My dreams have gotten worsesince I learned of Trevor’s release. I find comfort and sweetness in making love to Lucas, Mitch, and Tyler. Our nights are warm and spent tangled between the bed sheets, our bodies and souls connected on a deeper level. Each morning, I wake up with taut muscles and a content heart.

This particular morning is no exception, yet something feels off key in the air.

In the quiet moments prior to opening my eyes, I can feel Lucas’s strong arms wrapped around me, his heart beating steadily against my ear as I rest my head on his muscular chest. Tyler’s fingers trace invisible lines along my thigh.

Oddly, Mitch is in the hallway, talking to somebody over the phone.

“We’ll be there shortly,” I hear him say. “Just secure the crime scene. No one comes in or out, and I mean no one.”

The morning breeze rolls through the cracked window, filling me with a sense of dread. My stomach tightens as I open my eyes.

Lucas presses his lips against my temple. “Good morning, baby,” he says in a soft voice.

I raise my head as Mitch comes back into the room. “What’s wrong?”

The look on his face sends a dagger straight to my heart before the words even leave his mouth. “Tassia, I’m so sorry…”

“Mitch?” Tyler frowns as he sits up, equally anxious.