Page 40 of Fallen Empire

“What’s your friend’s name?”

The question caught me off guard. Not the words themselves—but the way he asked them.

Like he already knew.

My stomach tensed.

“S-Savannah,” I said slowly, watching his face.

Nothing flickered. No twitch. No shift. Just that same calm, steady interest.

“She’s lucky to have someone like you,” he said. “People don’t always get second chances. Not in this world. I’m sure she’s grateful you’re here.”

I nodded, unsure why a chill was crawling up the back of my neck.

Something about the way he said it…

Too practiced. Too knowing.

His phone pinged. He looked down and read the screen.

He stood. Held out his hand to me. I returned the gesture. “Nice to meet you…” he trailed, waiting for me to respond.

“Millicent.”

“Nice to meet you Millicent. I hope your friend makes it out.” Without another word, he turned and headed out the door. Like he was never there to begin with.

Just a few moments later, Ben stepped through the opening, guarded. “Who was that?”

“I don’t know. His wife is here. He doesn’t think she’ll make it.”

His brows didn’t move. They remained furrowed together like he didn’t believe me. Like I wasn’t telling him the truth. He looked back in the direction the man just left from before turning back to me.

“What. I forgot my purse and the guy gave me some cash to get a drink. No biggie.” I shrugged my shoulders, more defensive than I should’ve been.

“I would have brought you your purse.”

“I know that. But I got the feeling maybe he needed to talk. And honestly, I needed it to.”

“You know you can talk to me, Mills. Whatever it is.”

I didn’t want to explain why I couldn’t.

How every time I looked at him, I remembered the way he’d touched me, and the way we’d both let silence swallow it after. How I didn’t want to talk about it. How I did.

And how much I hated myself for wanting anything right now.

He was part of the chaos spinning in my head, a knot I didn’t have the capacity to untangle yet. So I said nothing. Just gave him a tight smile and stepped past him into the hallway.

Ben followed, quiet at first.

But his voice found me again before I made it ten feet.

“I don’t like it,” he said.

I stopped.

“Don’t likewhat?” I asked, not turning around.