Page 69 of Our Darkest Summer

“You’re playing against yourself?” I asked, walking closer.

Thomas didn’t flinch. He just moved another piece, his voice low. “It helps me clear my head.”

I nodded, understanding what he meant. I did crosswords when my thoughts were drowning me.

“Who’s winning?” I asked, sitting in the armchair across from him.

For a moment, he just stared at the board, something unreadable flickering across his face.

Then, his lips twisted into something almost like a smirk. “Not me.”

I snorted, studying the board. Then, without hesitating, I moved the knight to E6. Thomas didn’t look up; his gaze lingered on the board as well, moving his bishop. We played in silence for a while, the soft clicks of chess pieces the only sound between us. Every now and then, I caught him watching me, like he was debating saying something. But he never did.

It was peaceful. Until my thoughts started to swirl again, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

“About tonight…”

At the same time, he said, “I?—”

We both stopped.

Thomas blinked, his fingers pausing over a rook.

“You first,” I said quickly, but he shook his head, gaze dropping back to the board.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered. “What were you going to say?”

Something tightened in my chest. What had he been about to say? I hesitated, watching him for a beat longer before forcing my attention back to the board. “I just…” I picked up a pawn, rolling it between my fingers. “I don’t regret it.”

A muscle in Thomas’ jaw twitched. “Me neither.”

Warmth fluttered in my stomach. It was stupid, but it mattered, hearing him say it.

We moved another piece.

“Do you think Isaac will find whoever sent your mom away from the station?” I asked, changing the subject.

He exhaled slowly, leaning back in the armchair. “Even if he does, it might not matter.”

I turned the bishop in my hand.Why?But I already knew. Because it had happened twelve years ago, and whoever it was…might have had nothing else to do with Lizzie.

“Check,” I murmured, and Thomas huffed, finally looking at me.

“Two down. Two words. Three and four,” his gaze poured into mine. “BandM. Clue: What the too-confident girl did right there.” Then, before I could answer, he added, “Bad move… Sage.”

My brows rose, a flicker of heat brushing my cheeks. “We’ll see.”

He held my stare for a moment too long, like he was trying to read the next few moves off my face, before moving his king out of danger, edging straight into my trap.Perfect.

We slowly drifted back into silence.

“What do you think about the new note?” I broke it again, my voice quieter this time. “Is it a warning…or a threat?”

I could see him considering my words, his fingers tapping the edge of the board.

“Does it matter?” he asked. “Either way, it means there’s someone else out there, watching us.”

I nodded, a shiver running down my spine. That was what bothered me the most. We couldn’t know who we could trust…not really.