Page 37

Mackenzie

I manage to get the front door closed behind me as I bustle Levi inside, my purse over one shoulder and Levi’s swimming bag in my hand. “Whew, buddy, what a day, right?”

He looks at me a little strangely. I suppose for him, it was just another summer day. We were at the pool this afternoon, as my job search has been decidedly unfulfilling, and I needed a break.

“Pizza?” Levi asks, his voice full of hope.

I shake my head. “We had pizza this week already.” I try to sound upbeat, but I’m tired. Really tired. I set our bags down in the entryway and check my phone. Two new messages. My thumb hovers over them, and a wave of worry washes over me. Why, I’m not sure.

The first message begins.

“Hey, it’s Theo.”

I grip my phone a little tighter. Hearing his voice brings up a lot of feelings I don’t want to deal with right now.

“They’ve convened a grand jury for Justin’s murder, and we’re getting together to prep…”

The rest of the message fades into the background as my stomach turns. I suppose that should be good news, but that’s not how it feels. I glance at the photo by the door—Theo and Levi, side by side, smiling. That was before everything changed. Before I had to make a heartbreaking decision. Before I left.

“Is that Theo? It sounded like Theo. Can we go to his house for pizza?” Levi tugs at my sleeve. He doesn’t know what’s going on inside me.

I look down at him. Visiting Theo is the last place he needs to go. I’m trying so hard not to confuse him, yet I feel like I should be part of this grand jury prep. Whatever my feelings about Theo, I want Justin’s murder to be solved. I just don’t have anywhere to leave Levi. So I guess we both have to do this.

“This won’t be a visit for fun,” I begin, trying to keep my voice calm. I don’t want to scare Levi either. “It’s more of a meeting. I don’t know if there will be pizza, but there’s a gathering I need to be part of, so yes, we’ll have dinner at Theo’s. But I want you to remember that Theo isn’t going to be able to hang out with you, and it’s probably not a good idea to invite him to anything.”

“Why not?” Levi asks. “He’s my friend.”

“I know that, honey, but Theo’s pretty busy right now, and part of the reason we’re going is because he has a problem he needs me to help him with.”

“Okay, but he’s my friend, and friends hang out together.”

“Maybe next time.”

Levi looks uncertain, but finally he nods. “Okay. That’s better than nothing.”

The second message starts to play, so I turn my attention back to my phone.

“Mackenzie, this is Grantham Wilks, your attorney. I need to meet with you today. I’ll come to you.” He rattles off his phone number. “Call me as soon as you get this.”

I frown, a wave of tension rolling up my spine. Why now? Why in person?

“Looks like we’ve got company coming,” I tell Levi.

“Theo?” he asks.

“No, not Theo,” I say quietly, biting the inside of my cheek. “His name is Grantham Wilks. It’s another meeting, but we’ll go over to Theo’s tonight. Why don’t you take a shower so you’re ready?”

Levi shrugs and shuffles down the hallway, fighting imaginary crime as he goes. It makes me smile, but I can’t stop thinking—why would Grantham need to see me in person?

I call him back, my hand shaking as I bring the phone to my ear.

“Grantham, it’s Mackenzie Davis. You said you needed to see me?”

“Are you at home? I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he tells me.

Once I confirm my location, he hangs up.

I stare at the phone, letting out a slow breath. Something big is happening, something that’s pulling me back to EnergiFusion, just when I thought I’d finally stepped away for good. But the past doesn’t let go that easily.

The shower is running when I get to my bedroom, so I change quickly and do my best to make myself presentable. I set Levi’s Switch out on the bed for him. Hopefully, he’ll occupy himself while Grantham is here.

I’ve just returned to the living room when the downstairs buzzer sounds. I buzz Grantham into the building. “Upstairs,” I tell him. “It’s the first door on the right.”

In seconds, there’s a hard knock at the door.

I take a deep breath before opening it. When I do, Grantham Wilks stands on the other side, dressed in a sharp suit with his tie slightly loosened. He looks tired.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, stepping back to let him in.

“I won’t take up much of your time,” he replies.

Which is not really an answer.

We walk into the kitchen, and he leans against the counter with his arms crossed.

“A grand jury has been convened,” he says.

I nod, even as my stomach twists. “And you’re representing the guys?”

“Yes, and you,” he confirms. “But not Crystal anymore.” He exhales, his eyes meeting mine. “I’ve referred her to her own lawyer.”

I blink. That’s not what I expected, but I suppose it makes sense. I sit down at the kitchen table. “They’re going after her, aren’t they?”

Grantham nods. “All signs point to yes.”

I run a hand through my hair. “I’m not working for EnergiFusion anymore. Do I need an attorney?”

“I think it’s always smart. And don’t worry about my fee. The company will continue to handle everything.”

“And you’re sure the grand jury wants to talk to me?”

“They do,” he confirms. “Likely about the divorce lawyer who called after Justin disappeared.”

I let out a long breath, my mind racing. “But I’m not a suspect?” I ask, needing to hear it out loud.

“Not at all,” Grantham says.

But the thing about lawyers? They always sound so sure, even when they’re not.

He heads for the door, though I stay seated. My thoughts swirl—Crystal, the grand jury, this tangled situation. And Theo.

I push away from the table and stand tall, just in time to thank Grantham and close the door behind him on the way out. One step at a time.

After a quick shower, I walk to Levi’s room and lean against the doorframe. He’s humming quietly, lost in his Switch.

“Ready to go to Theo’s?” I ask.

His head pops up. “Yes!”

I smile. “Then let’s do it.”

Whether we want to or not.

I call a rideshare and gather my purse and a few things I might need.

“The car will be here in five minutes,” I tell Levi, trying to match his mood with a smile. But my mind is somewhere else, spinning with thoughts of grand juries, legal trouble, and the feeling that my past is pulling me back, no matter how much I try to move on.

“Can’t wait to see Theo!” Levi says, practically bouncing in place.

“Just remember, munchkin, there’s going to be a lot of adult talk tonight. You’re going to need to eat your dinner and find something quiet to do.”

“Okay,” he says, nodding.

The ride is quick, and Levi narrates the journey, his words a steady stream. When we arrive at Theo’s building, Simon is working the concierge desk. His warm smile is a comfort on a night full of unknowns.

“Hey!” Simon says, holding out his fist.

“Simon!” Levi grins. He rushes over, and the two of them go through their secret handshake—claps, snaps, and wiggly fingers.

“Good to see you, Mackenzie,” Simon says, giving me a nod.

“Thanks, Simon. Always good to see you,” I reply, adjusting my purse strap as I guide Levi toward the elevator. Simon runs his fob over the panel and then waves goodbye as the doors close.

Levi keeps talking, his voice echoing off the mirrored walls. I nod, tossing in the occasional, “Wow, that’s awesome,” or “You’re a star,” but my thoughts are scattered.

The elevator dings. The doors open. And Levi is gone in a flash.

“Theo!”

Levi launches straight into Theo’s open arms before I can even step inside.

“Hey, champ! How’s my star soccer player?” Theo lifts him easily, grinning like everything between us isn’t over.

“I’m in another soccer camp next week!” Levi announces, beaming with pride.

“A second?” Theo’s eyes go wide with mock surprise. He sets Levi down and gives his shoulders a playful shake. “We’ve got a future pro on our hands.”

I hang back by the entryway, watching them. There’s something so tender about it—how natural they are together, the way Theo looks at Levi like he’s his own.

For just a moment, I let myself forget.

Forget that Justin was murdered. That Crystal is on the run. The lawyers. The grand jury. And that I’ve asked Theo not to be part of our lives.

Right now, it’s just Levi and his hero, wrapped up in the glow of their bond.

But the moment doesn’t last.

I spot Austin and Rhys standing near the balcony doors. The skyline stretches behind them, but their eyes are locked on me. I raise a hand in greeting, tentatively, and they wave me over.

Austin pours a glass and holds it out for me.

“Thank you.” I take it from him.

“Everything okay between you and Theo?” he asks.

“It was consensual,” I say, not flinching. “What happened between us, we both chose it. But it’s run its course.”

Rhys watches me closely. “And what happens next for you?”

I pause because I don’t know yet. “I’m moving on,” I tell them. “I promised myself and Levi a fresh start. It’s time I use my MBA for something else…maybe project management.”

Rhys lets out a breath. “Come back,” he says. “You’re invaluable to us. We’ll always have a place for you.”

I shake my head, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “It felt like a mistake when Justin pulled me out of marketing. But now? It was a gift.” I run a finger around the edge of my glass. “I’ve grown. I’ve learned. I’ll help train the new EA and answer questions if you need me, but I’m not coming back. My path is different now.”

I can see the moment it sinks in. Austin’s shoulders slump ever so slightly. Rhys presses his lips together and gives a quiet nod.

The house phone rings, followed by the rumble of the elevator arriving.

Caroline and Mason step inside, arms full of bags and platters. The scent of oregano, garlic, and butter fills the air.

“Time to eat!” Caroline says as she and Mason set the food on the table. “We’ve brought a Greek feast, and I don’t want to take any of it home.” The smell of lemon and roasted lamb wafts toward me.

As she and Mason unpack the bags, I can hear the guys talking.

“Why do you think the grand jury was called now? Do we think they’re actually moving forward with Crystal?” Rhys asks. “Or could they be looking at one of us?”

“The police must’ve uncovered something we didn’t see coming,” Austin says, voice low. “Between the burner phone pings and that storage unit… It was enough to push the DA.”

Theo nods. “Grantham said the timing isn’t a coincidence. They’ve been building their case for a while. Crystal might be the main suspect, but I’m sure they want to see if any of us missed something or helped without realizing it.”

I drift toward the women gathered on the other side of the room, and they welcome me without question. Conversation unfolds easily as we wait until it’s time to fill our plates.

Then someone mentions Crystal.

“She never really let her guard down,” Jade says as she reaches for a piece of pita.

“Not with us, anyway,” Danica agrees.

I sip my wine, thinking about the women who married into this tight-knit circle of founders. When we’ve gotten our food, we retreat to the couch. I check quickly to be sure Levi has more than just pita on his plate, and he scampers outside to eat with the guys.

“Crystal…” I can’t find the words. “As I see it, Justin had a way of making people feel heard.” I pick at my spanakopita. “But it seems like he told everyone a different version of the truth. Crystal got one. Austin, Rhys, and Theo got another. I think that led to an inevitable conflict, even if that wasn’t his intention.”

And now that he’s gone, we’re left to figure out which version of the truth was real.

I look across the room and out to the patio, where a low, tense exchange is happening at the far end of the table. Theo, Rhys, and Austin sit close together, heads practically touching.

I rise and take my plate to the kitchen, where I can hear what they’re saying through the open screen door.

“Every morning, I still expect to see Justin walk through the door,” Austin says, rubbing a hand across his face. His eyes are bloodshot, his features drawn. He looks older tonight.

“Feels like he’s just away on another long trip,” Rhys agrees. “But this time…he’s not coming back.”

Then I hear Theo’s voice. “If Crystal is convicted, what happens to Justin’s shares?”

“I’ve spoken with Sara Arnault,” Mason says. She’s SHN’s lawyer and wrote all the EnergiFusion contracts. “Legally, it depends. Justin’s shares could go to his family…or the company might be able to reclaim them. It’s complicated.”

Austin exchanges a look with Theo and Rhys before nodding. “Gina should have Justin’s shares. It’s the right thing to do.”

“If the grand jury indicts Crystal, the contract makes that easy, and Crystal’s shares will revert back to the company. But if she’s acquitted, we’ll probably have to take her to court to enforce the contract,” Mason explains.

“Good,” Rhys says, his jaw tight.

“Do you think they’ll actually indict her?” Danica asks as she moves past me and steps outside.

“I think they already know what they want to do,” Rhys says. “The rest of us? I think they’re fishing, making sure no one else had a hand in this or knew something they didn’t share.”

Danica frowns. “We’re all walking a line. One bad answer in that room, and it could shift the whole thing.”

Austin nods. “That’s why I came tonight. We need to be prepared.”

I step away from the counter, feeling a little guilty for eavesdropping. This isn’t just about shares or business. It’s about trust. And how easily it can be broken by the people we thought we knew.

Theo stands, and after a moment, they all come inside. Theo hands Levi a gaming console, and he disappears into the other room.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Theo says once everyone has gathered in the living room.

I don’t know what to say to that. I didn’t feel like it was a choice.

Theo puts his hands in his pockets. “Grantham took the information Clear put together on Stan Richards to the police, and he thinks Stan might be indicted as a co-conspirator.” He shakes his head. “Makes you wonder how much access Crystal really had—to our buyers, our systems, and our secrets.”

A chill runs down my spine. A web of lies, and Crystal was right in the middle of it, wearing grief like a costume.

“I know this is painful, but we need to stay focused,” he says. “For Justin.”

“For Justin,” everyone echoes quietly. A vow. An anchor.

“I met with Stan to cut ties last year after the billing discrepancies,” Rhys says. “It was an odd conversation, and then fifteen minutes after he left, Crystal called me. If they were in cahoots, that’s really going to piss me off.”

Mason sets down his glass. “Jim traced the reimbursement payment from Maloney Chemical.” He pauses. “The money Stan returned after the overbilling came from an account that appears to be Crystal’s.”

Silence.

Austin’s hands curl into fists. “She stood beside us, pretended to grieve. If she’s behind Justin’s death—”

“Then we want justice,” Theo says, cutting in. “To the full extent of the law.”

My stomach turns.

“And there’s a bit more from the forensic accounting team,” Mason adds. “They think they’ve found the account where the money stolen from EnergiFusion was deposited—or what’s left of it,” he says. “The account is listed under Crystal’s middle name and maiden name. They’ve already turned it over to the police.”

“What?” Austin’s eyes go wide.

“No fucking way.” Rhys groans, his face flushing with anger.

“It’s not official yet,” he adds, glancing out the window. “But they’re putting the pieces together.”

Theo sets down his glass. “We need to do that as well. Okay, I know tonight’s felt like a mix of dinner party and wake, but we need to talk about what’s next. About the grand jury.”

Silence settles over the group.

“They’re not just going to ask us what we know. They’re going to look for gaps in our stories. Inconsistencies. They’re going to push hard and hope someone cracks.”

Caroline shifts in her seat. “But we’re not the ones on trial.”

“No,” Theo says. “But we could become collateral damage if we’re not careful. So here’s what I need from all of us—full transparency. If you’ve remembered something, anything, about Justin’s last few weeks, this is the time to speak up. Not in the courtroom. Now.”

He lets that sink in.

“And we stick to the facts. No speculation. No ‘I think I heard’ or ‘Maybe she said.’ If you don’t remember clearly, say that. Don’t fill in the blanks.”

Austin nods. “Yes, no theories. The DA doesn’t need to hear what we think happened. Just what we know.”

“Exactly,” Theo says. “We all loved Justin. But loving him won’t protect us if someone says the wrong thing under oath.”

Rhys exhales slowly. “So…we treat this like war.”

Theo looks at him, then at the others. “We treat it like what it is—a legal minefield. We’re not just fighting for the company anymore. We’re fighting to protect what’s left of our friend’s legacy and to make sure his killer is brought to justice.”

This doesn’t even seem real. The person we’re talking about is Crystal, once one of us, part of our circle. She might be the one who betrayed us all.

The room buzzes as conversation picks up again, but my mind drifts, to the one person untouched by all of this.

Levi.

I slip away from the conversation and climb the stairs to Levi’s old room. I push open the door to find him asleep, stretched across the bed, the video game discarded. His chest rises and falls in a slow, steady rhythm. Peaceful. Unaware of the storm outside these walls.

A lump forms in my throat as I walk closer and brush a few curls from his forehead. He shifts in his sleep but doesn’t wake.

He’s safe. That’s all that matters.

Behind me, a voice breaks the silence. “Levi can stay here tonight. You don’t have to wake him.”

I turn to see Theo in the doorway. His voice is soft, uncertain.

“Thanks,” I say. “But I don’t want to confuse him. He needs stability.”

“I know,” he says, stepping into the room. His presence is warm, too familiar. “Mackenzie, I can’t give up on us. I know I made a mistake when Levi was sick, but it wasn’t because I don’t care. I want to do better, and I will. For you. For us.”

I study his face. He means it, but how well does he know himself? Everything feels heightened right now. It’s impossible to make a good choice.

“I don’t know,” I say softly. “After everything, even being friends might be too much.”

He pulls in a breath. “Let me show you,” he says. There’s a quiet strength in his voice.

I sigh, not agreeing, not refusing. Just acknowledging the moment.

Right now, my focus has to be Levi.

I need to build something steady. Something that won’t fall apart

Only time will tell. I think of what Tabatha said about timing. Maybe the future still holds something, but that can’t be my focus now.

I pat Theo’s chest and step back to nudge Levi’s shoulder, whispering his name until his eyes blink open. At first, he looks confused, but then his face softens with recognition. A sleepy smile spreads across his lips.

“Hey, buddy. Time to go,” I murmur.

“Five more minutes,” he mumbles, burrowing into the pillow, his voice heavy with sleep.

“Sorry, love. We’ve got to head home.”

He sighs, but slowly pushes himself upright, rubbing his eyes. “Tomorrow, I have a baseball game,” Levi says when he sees Theo in the doorway. “You can come watch me play, and we can hang out afterward.”

“I love it. Where’s the game?”

“It’s at nine at the baseball diamond in Golden Gate Park,” I tell him, though I’m not at all sure this is a good idea. But if Theo hears my hesitation, he doesn’t let on.

“That works. And he can hang with me in the afternoon,” he says smoothly.

“Can we have pizza?” Levi asks.

“Anything you want, buddy,” Theo says.

I press my lips together, keeping my thoughts to myself. This is the thing with Theo. He’s hard to push back when he’s like this. Warm, generous, full of promises that make Levi feel like the center of the universe.

“All right, let’s grab your things, bud,” I guide Levi out of the room and collect his backpack and jacket. We say quick goodbyes to the others and walk toward the elevator.

Theo crouches to Levi’s level. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he says.

Levi nods, and Theo stands, his eyes meeting mine. “Take care,” he says softly. Then he hesitates, like there’s more he wants to say, but he doesn’t.

“Goodnight.” My voice stays even, my nod polite but distant. I step into the elevator with Levi, the doors sliding closed between us.

“Did you have fun tonight?” I ask Levi as we descend.

He grins up at me. “The best. Theo let me play his video games!”

I smile. For now, I choose to hold on to his happiness. Not the confusion Theo always seems to stir in me.

Because no matter how many promises Theo makes, no matter how good he is in moments like this, I can’t afford to get pulled back into something that could be uncertain.

What matters most is Levi.

And he deserves something solid.

Not hope. Not maybe.

Something I can count on right now, and that’s me.