Page 127 of Sage Haven

I learned that lesson before.

I turned away slightly, folding my arms tighter around myself—a small act of defiance, but it was all I had left.

“I don’t trust you,” I said quietly.

He nodded once, like he understood.

But he wasn’t done trying to convince me.

“If nothing else,” Castor said, his voice softer, “trust that I love Sam more than anything in this world. And she’d never forgive me if I let something happen to you.” He paused, then added, “Because you’re her best friend. And she cares about you.”

The words struck harder than I expected.

Best friend.

They weren’t new words. But hearing them… they hit differently now.

Sam.

The one person who always made the world lighter. Who never let me drown, even when I wanted to. She’d seen me when I couldn’t even see myself.

My throat tightened.

And I hated the sting in my eyes.

I stared down at my hands, forcing myself to stay still. “And you think she’ll forgive you for drugging me? For kidnapping me?”

Castor flinched. It was slight, but it was there.

For once, he didn’t have a comeback.

He just stood there, hands curling into fists at his sides, his expression unreadable.

“Reich is tough,” he said finally, his voice heavier now. “I know. He’s… complicated. But he’s trying to keep you out of harm’s way. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think that was true.”

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to rip the truth out of him.

But instead… I breathed.

And I made a choice.

“It was the day of my father’s funeral—” I said quietly.

The words were fragile. I almost couldn’t believe I’d spoken them aloud.

But Castor froze.

His entire body stilled.

And slowly, carefully, he moved toward the bed and lowered himself to sit on the edge. Not too close. Just close enough to hear and at the very least pretend he cared.

“—that night, my boyfriend threw a party,” I continued. “I told him I was leaving... We argued… I felt bad... So, I stayed...”

I closed my eyes.

The memory pressed against my ribs like a knife.