Page 59 of Forged By Sacrifice

“No, not really.”

“I won’t hold back on you just because you’re helping me, you know. Don’t expect any freebies.”

It was my turn to stare her down. “I don’t expect handouts.”

“Good.”

My phone buzzed.

RAISA: They are at each other’s throats again.

ME: You still don’t know why?

RAISA: I have my…what is the word? Suspicions? But no facts.

ME: No proof, you mean.

RAISA: Yes. This. No proof.

ME: Just ask him about it.

I realized, after texting Raisa those words, that the solution was really that simple. I just needed to talk to Mac. Get things out in the open. Put everything on the table and move on so we didn’t continue to dance around the apartment, avoiding each other.

RAISA: That is never easy with Malik.

ME: All you can do is try.

I put my phone back in my bag and picked up all my belongings.

“One text conversation and everything is better?” Theresa smiled at me.

“What? No. That was my sister.”

“But you’ve resolved whatever was making you squishy-faced?”

I laughed. “I’m not sure I’d say I was squishy-faced any more than I’d say I’d been wistful.”

“Trust me. I’ve been reading people for years. You were squishy-faced and wistful. Now that you have that problem resolved,” Theresa continued, “will you have time this weekend to spend on the case?”

“Sure,” I told her, making my way to the door. “I’ll be back in the morning.”

“Bring more of that black-and-white coffee stuff.”

I nodded and left. My brain was on Mac and the long overdue discussion we needed to have. But when I got back to the apartment, it was to find out that Mac had had very different ideas. Dani told me he had taken the train home to Delaware with his dad, which made me wonder if the only real solution to our situation was for me to just move out so he wouldn’t have to run from his own home.

? ? ?

My first day of classes came and went, leaving me exhausted and wired at the same time. The other students had been friendly, and, true to her word, Theresa hadn’t given me an inch. If anything, she’d judged me harsher than the other students whenever I’d made a comment.

When I made my way back to the apartment, it was late, and I was surprised to be the first one home. I felt like celebrating, and for the first time in a long time, I felt alone.

I pulled my phone out of my bag to text Raisa and realized I’d missed a text from Dani.

DANI: You’ve survived your first day! Congrats! We’re bringing home Bentley’s.

It filled my heart. I was just about to text back when the door opened and the siblings entered, in the midst of a heated discussion.

“He didn’t mean that,” Dani said.

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