Page 27

Axel

I opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong.

It wasn’t the smell. It wasn’t the quiet. It was the sound of laughing . Loud, chaotic, borderline cackling.

From my living room.

I stepped in and paused.

Lark was curled up on the couch in my shirt, cheeks flushed, laughing so hard she was wheezing. A woman who was identical to Lark sat cross-legged in my favorite chair— my chair—eating Cheetos from the bag like it was a formal meal.

She turned, saw me, and grinned. “Oh, you are hot.”

I blinked. I looked from one to the other. “Who are you?”

“Marley,” she said, waving a Cheeto in the air like a wand. “Lark’s much more stable, mature, older by thirty minutes sister.”

Lark nearly fell off the couch laughing.

I stared. “This is a joke, right?”

“Nope,” Lark wheezed. “She’s real. I’ve tried to escape it for years.”

Marley stood and extended her hand, fingers covered in neon orange dust. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for letting me crash here. Also, you have terrible snack selection, but I forgive you.”

I just blinked at her.

Lark snorted again. “Don’t worry, she’s harmless.”

“That’s a bold claim,” I muttered, folding my arms. “What’s she doing here?”

“She drove across three states because she found out I almost got flattened by a gas station.”

“Technically, it was the roof,” Marley added helpfully.

I looked from one to the other. Lark’s eyes were still a little tired, but her color had come back. She looked… lighter. And as much as I hated to admit it, Marley might’ve had something to do with that.

“I was planning to cook dinner,” I said slowly.

“Perfect,” Marley said. “I love men who cook. I’ll supervise.”

“I’m sure you’re not allowed near knives,” I said.

“I make no promises.”

Lark just sat there grinning, watching the whole exchange like it was her favorite sitcom.

“Can I talk to you?” I asked Lark, jerking my head toward the hallway.

She got up slowly and followed me into the bedroom. As soon as the door shut, I turned to her.

“You okay?”

She smiled. “Better now.”

“You sure? Because your sister might actually be a feral raccoon in human form. I can’t believe you have a twin sister, and never told me.”

She laughed softly, leaning into me. “She means well. Sort of. Maybe. She’s been through a lot, too.

Marley and I have this love-hate relationship.

It started when we were teenagers. She is a Journalist and sometimes she takes chances with her life, and she hates that I chase storms, but she goes to other countries where it’s really dangerous. ”

I wrapped my arms around her and exhaled. “I was hoping for a quiet night. Just us.”

“Me too,” she whispered. “But maybe this is what I needed—to remember where I come from… before I figure out where I’m going.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Wherever that is, I’m coming with you.”

She looked up, eyes soft. “Even if it means road-tripping with Marley?”

“Don’t push it.”

She chuckled, and I froze. “Please tell me she is not Marley Bennett.”