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“What?”

“I asked what happened with Alex.”

“He wants to help.”

Hayden’s face falls. “Rowan…” he trails. “Why the fuck would he help us?”

I shrug. Even if Xander spilled my secret at Blue Lily, I still don’t want to talk about him with them. I don’t want to tell either of them about our kiss or the cherry sour gummies. I still want to keep him a secret, just like two years ago. Back then, Alex felt like something good, a respite despite his lie. I realise now how much I missed that refuge. How much I missedhim,and I don’t want to ruin the fragile balance we have right now.

“I have something he needs,” I say instead.

“Your dick?”

“Funny,” I murmur, but Hayden isn’t smiling.

“So Xander was right, you are fucking him again.” It’s not a question, more a statement.

“Nope, still not fucking him.” Which is true.

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose like the old man he is. “Would it help if I threatened to kill him if you don’t stay away from him?”

I lift an eyebrow.

“Guess not,” he mutters.

I slap his jacket clad arm lightly. “Trust me. I’m being careful,” I assure him. If I wasn’t, I’d have bent him over the counter last night and fucked him. “Let me know if you find the phone.”

“Where are you going now?” he asks.

“I need to take care of something,” I say evasively. I promised Alex that I’d make Halle’s problem go away and I plan on following through.

“Hey,” Hayden says, stopping me from leaving. He analyses my face carefully. “Are you okay?”

The look in Key’s eyes plays over and over again in my head. He knew he had to die; that’s how it works, but it’s left me unbalanced. Ireallydon’t enjoy murder.

“Yeah. Peachy.”

He looks me over again, and I can tell he wants to say something else, but he doesn’t. Instead, he nods once and moves aside to let me go.

“I’ll let you know once I find the phone,” he says. “By the way, the police couldn’t find anything in our books or evidence of that girl being at Summit. We’re in the clear.”

I don’t miss thefor nowin his words.

“You’re sure Alex wasn’t behind it?”

I almost groan, but I know why Hayden is so hung up on this; the police got too close and whilst they might have come up empty for now, we still have a problem.

“Positive.”

“I don’t like this, Ro,” he says quietly.

“I know,” I say. “Me neither.”

“Then try not to fuck it up?”

“Your lack of faith in me is disheartening.” I pat his shoulder and move past him and out of the warehouse’s basement.

***