Page 11 of Gathered Sparkle

“What?” Levi barks. “Did she at least take the laptop?”

Why hadn’t I?

It wouldn’t have mattered now that they caught us anyway, right?

“No, but she got out and is okay.” Koen tries to reassure him. “Everything’s under control.”

“Under control?” Levi’s voice is incredulous. “We need to get in there and grab the evidence now if they know about us trying to gather it! Why didn’t she take the laptop? She’s a fuckingthief! And she was right there! If anything was there in the first place, they’re gonna delete it now!”

“Levi, calm down,” Koen warns.

Ah, fuck.

“Bullshit!” Levi yells. “We’re sitting on our asses while she had the perfect opportunity, and now it’s gone!”

I swallow hard, the guilt gnawing at me as I listen. Because he’s right, isn’t he? He and Ezra are right, and Koen and Sylus are trying to be nice for my sake, but I fucked up badly.

Why do I have the urge to text Captain Bossy and see what his reaction to this shit show is?

“We’ll figure it out, okay?” Koen’s eyes flick to me. “But we can’t walk in there without a plan. We need the key card, and we’ll need to be smarter about our next move.”

“She was right there, Koen.” Levi lets out a frustrated growl. “She could’ve done it. Or at least grabbed the fucking key card.”

Again,he’s right.

“She did her best,” Koen asserts with an edge of finality.

The line goes dead, Levi having hung up on his twin, and Koen sets the phone aside, his gaze shifting back to me. The weight of Levi’s words still lingers in the air, making me feel nauseous. “Fuck,” I whisper. “I’m so damn sorry. Is he going to be okay?”

“Of course he is. He’s being a little drama queen, as always. Don’t take it too much to heart. He’ll cool off by tomorrow.”

“You sure?”

“I am.”

“Do you have to go to him?”

Koen watches me carefully as if reading the guilt tightening my shoulders. I can’t control the slight quiver of my lower lip. After Levi’s scolding, I’m back to feeling small sparks of anxiety sizzling beneath the surface of my skin.

He slides an arm around my waist, pulling me into a side hug, and dips his head to rest his chin lightly on the top of mine. The weight is barely there, but it holds me still, like an anchor, keeping me from drifting away. “I’m exactly where I’m needed.”

I exhale, my breath shaky, his closeness stupidly soothing. “Koen…” My voice cracks, a whisper that’s more apology than anything else.

He squeezes my side, a gentle press of reassurance. “It’s not over,” he says softly, reading the self-blame I can’t hide. “We’re still in this. We’re going to figure it out. Levi’s loud, but he’s not always right.”

I nod against his chest, the knot of guilt easing even more, though it doesn’t fully unravel. His fingers trace a slow pattern along my back, and I let my eyes drift shut, absorbing his calm.

A yawn slips out, and Koen catches it, of course. “Want to lie down?”

“I don’t think I can sleep like this.” I feel exhausted, but at the same time, I know my mind won’t let me rest.

“You can sleep, Little Thief. You’re safe here. We’ll know if someone comes after you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I admit. “I don’t think Nicholas will hunt me down. It’s more like… everything slowing down.”

“That’s the adrenaline tanking. It always leaves you in this weird place after. Exhausted but too wound up to actually rest. I have that after every show.”

I let out a deep sigh, sinking further into him. “I guess…”

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