Page 123 of Haunted

“What?” Her eyes widen with panic. “I can't?—”

“Not a call,” I clarify quickly. “Just a simple text letting him know you're safe. That you're figuring things out and need some space.”

Cora stares at her coffee, her finger tracing the rim of the cup nervously. “I wouldn't even know what to say.”

“Keep it simple.” I slide her phone closer to her. “Tell him you're safe, that you need time to sort through everything on your own, and that you promise to call if you need him.”

“You think that would be enough?” She looks up at me, uncertainty written across her face.

I nod. “It's a start. He's probably going crazy with worry. Just knowing you're okay might give him some peace.”

Cora picks up her phone and unlocks it, staring at thescreen. “What if he demands to see me? Or tries to send the police?”

“You're a consenting adult, Cora. He can't force you to do anything.” I lean forward. “But continuing to ignore him completely will only make him more desperate.”

She takes a deep breath and opens her messages. Her fingers hover over the keyboard for a moment before she begins typing. I watch as she crafts a simple message as I suggested. When she turns the screen toward me for approval, I read:

Dad, I'm safe. I need time to figure things out on my own right now. Please give me space. I promise if I need you, I will call. - C

“Perfect,” I say with an encouraging smile. “Short, clear, and kind.”

Cora's thumb hovers over the send button for several seconds before she finally presses it. Once the message is delivered, she puts the phone face down on the table again and exhales slowly.

“Done,” she whispers, relief and anxiety mingling in her voice.

“You'll feel better for doing that,” I say. “It's the right thing, even if it's hard.”

“You're right.” She picks up her latte with both hands, cradling it like it might steady her. “It does feel like a weight's been lifted. I've been carrying that around for days.”

Her phone buzzes almost immediately, but she doesn't look at it.

“Aren't you going to check?” I ask.

Cora shakes her head. “Not yet. I need a minute.” She takes a deep breath and changes the subject. “So, enough about my complicated love life. What about you and the infamous Xavier Blackwood? How's that going?”

I stare into my coffee, watching the dark surface ripple as I tap the side of the cup. “It's... intense.”

“That's hardly news,” Cora says with a gentle laugh. “The man radiates intensity wherever he goes. What's it really like, though? Living with him?”

“Honestly? It's not what I expected.” I look up at her. “He's still commanding and controlling, but there are these moments when he's... different. Vulnerable, almost.”

“Vulnerable? Xavier?” Cora raises an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe.”

I think about last night's conversation—his confession about the crimes he's committed, but also the raw honesty in his eyes when he told me I've become his entire world.

“I think...” I pause, almost afraid to say the words aloud. “I think I'm falling in love with him, Cora.”

“Even after everything you know about him?”

I nod slowly. “That's the crazy part. I know exactly what he is. A criminal. I should be running as far and as fast as I can.” I let out a small, helpless laugh. “Instead, I'm sitting here wondering when I can see him again.”

“Oh, Mira.” Cora reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “We're quite the pair, aren't we?”

“Complete disasters,” I agree, squeezing back.

How did this happen? A month ago, I was determined to expose Xavier Blackwood as the criminal he is. Now I'm sitting here, missing him even though we've only been apart for an hour.

This isn't me. I don't fall for dangerous men, especially not ones who've confessed to murder and drug trafficking.