Page 58 of No Save Point

Cassie:WHAT WAS THAT DYNAMIC ON STREAM THEN??? OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD.

I glance over at Carter, who’s still completely focused on his PC, unaware that Cassie is currently having a full meltdown on my phone. Yeah, this is gonna take some explaining. Cassie’s typing, and typing and typing. My screen flashes again.

Cassie:Haven. Haven. HAVEN. HOW DID YOU NOT TELL ME THIS THE SECOND YOU FOUND OUT.

I groan, burying my face into Carter’s pillow. I should’ve known she’d react like this. Before I can type back, another message hits.

Cassie:You’re telling me the one who lives to torment you, the one you literally call Satan Online™ is your gamer boyfriend’s TWIN???

I roll onto my back, exhaling sharply.

Me:First of all, Carter’s not my gamer boyfriend.

Cassie:I’m gonna ignore that blatant lie, because you’re clearly delusional.

I grumble under my breath, my fingers hovering over my phone, trying to figure out how to downplay this before she keeps spiraling. But no, she’s already gone.

Cassie:DO THEY EVEN LOOK ALIKE??

I hesitate, glancing at Carter out of the corner of my eye. His jawline. The soft curve of his mouth, the warmth behind his eyes, the way he carries himself like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. And then, in my mind, I see Tate.

The way his body moves, controlled and cocky, the sharpness in his gaze, the smirk that never quite disappears, even when he’s serious. Same face. Same DNA. Entirely different energy.

Me:You wouldn’t even think they’re related unless you really looked.

Cassie is typing. Cassie is typing for way too long. I brace myself.

Cassie:Are you fucking them both.

I choke on my own spit.

Me:CASSIE, WHAT THE FUCK.

Cassie:BABE YOU CAN’T DROP INFO LIKE THIS AND EXPECT ME NOT TO ASK.

I swear to God, I’m going to strangle her. I am seconds away from launching my phone across the room. Cassie is still typing because of course she is, but before I can suffer through whatever unhinged response she’s cooking up next, Carter’s voice cuts through my spiraling. “Haven.”

I jolt slightly, turning my head to see him watching me from his desk, brows slightly furrowed. “Huh?” I blink, trying to shove Cassie’s last message from my brain.

Carter nods toward his monitor. “I need help with my camera settings.”

Oh, thank fuck. I lock my phone, shoving it under one of his pillows before pushing up onto my elbows. “Yeah, what’s wrong?”

He sits back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest as he gestures toward the screen. “It looks kinda grainy. I don’t know if it’s the resolution or the lighting or what, but—”

I slide off the bed before he can finish, already moving toward him, relieved to have a distraction that isn’t Cassie screaming in all caps about my sex life. “Lemme see.” I lean in, scanning the settings on his screen, my shoulder brushing against his arm, and I don’t miss the way he tenses slightly at the contact. He’s still thinking about everything we talked about before Tate barged in.

Honestly, so am I. I adjust a few settings, tilting Carter’s camera slightly, fixing the lighting until his face isn’t half in shadow. “There,” I say, stepping back slightly. “You should be good now.”

Carter leans forward, testing the feed, shifting slightly in his chair, and then nods in approval. “Looks better.” He glances up at me. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

I linger for a second, watching the way his fingers move over the mouse, clicking through different settings, his jaw tight with focus.

My phone buzzes again from where I shoved it under his pillow. Shit, I hesitate before pulling it out, and sure enough Cassie is still going.

Cassie:OKAY BUT LISTEN.

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