Page 94 of Second Sin

Blake shakes his head, hands raised. “I’m not. I won’t. But...shit. Thatiscomplicated.”

I nod once. “I’ve dealt with it. But I still can’t have the whole fucking world knowing yet.”

Blake tilts his head. “Yet?”

I meet his eyes. “Yeah.”

His mouth twitches. “So it’s serious.”

Before I can answer, my phone buzzes on the table.Olivia’s name lights up the screen.And everything else just fades.I’m already sliding out of the booth.

Blake chuckles as I walk off, and says loud enough for me to hear, “It’s about fucking time.”

I push through the side door, out into the cold.

The air hits sharp against my skin. I don’t flinch.

I lean one shoulder against the brick wall,and swipe to answer, voice lower than it should be.

“Hey.”

“I saw you called,” she says. Her voice is careful. Like she’s waiting for the ice to crack.

“I just…wanted to say I’m sorry. About this morning.”

“You were upset. Every reason to be.” A pause. Then, “You played well tonight.”

“Yeah.”

The silence stretches. Not uncomfortable. Just…loaded.

“I should let you go,” she says softly. "It's late."

I almost ask her not to.

Almost.

“Okay,” I murmur. “Sleep well.”

“You too, Sebastian.”

Call ends. And I just stand there. Cell in hand. Breath caught in my chest.I tuck the phone into my pocket, press my back to the wall, and close my eyes.

Still wired from the fight.

Still shaken from the message on my car.

Still trying to be someone she could maybe love.

And fucking terrifiedI won’t be.

CHAPTER 36

SEBASTIAN

The grainy footage loops. Black-and-white. Timed stamp blinking in the corner. Static in the feed.

And there he is. A kid—fifteen, maybe sixteen—shoulders hunched, hoodie pulled low, moving with all the confidence of someone who’s done this before. Head down. Spray can in hand. Quick. Sloppy. Angry.

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