Page 138 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

With a tight smile, she repeats, “Hey.” Her attention darts to Theo. “Sorry if I interrupted.”

“You’re not interrupting,” I reply.

“I’ll just…” She grabs the scissors from the junk drawer and opens the box on the kitchen island, more tense and elusive than usual.

“Ooo, what’d you buy?” I ask, standing up and rounding the edge of the couch in hopes of making her feel more included. After all, I’ve been on the single train, and while it has a few perks, being surrounded by lovebirds like Ash and Colt, or Theo and me has to be exhausting.

When Mia sees me approaching, she grabs the small tube from the packaging and slips it behind her back. “Oh, I didn’t buy anything exciting.” Gathering the garbage, she throws it in the trash bin and adds, “I’m gonna go study in my room. Have a fun night.”

“Dude,” I say when I catch a glimpse of the pepper spray in her hand. “Is that––”

“It’s for running. You’ve been busy lately, and I've been going alone more,” she clarifies, cutting me off. “Better to be safe than sorry, right? Not a big deal. Good night, guys.”

She heads to her room without a backward glance, the tube clutched tightly in her palm.

My lips press together as I watch her leave, then I head back to the couch.

Reading me clearly, Theo hooks his arms around my shoulders and tugs me against him. “Everything okay?”

“Mia bought pepper spray.”

With a frown, he looks toward the empty hall. “Hmm.”

“It’s weird, right?” I ask.

With a shrug, he offers, “Usually, I’d say no. But with her history with Shorty and how quickly she left…” He lifts his chin toward the empty hallway as if to prove his point. “I dunno.”

“Shorty’s gone, though. He was drafted to the Tumblers in Ohio last year. Wasn’t he?”

Theo nods. “Yeah. Started playing for them this season.”

My lips pull into a frown. “Then, why would she be freaking out?”

“I dunno,” he repeats.

Ash and Colt come bounding through the front door, snapping me from my thoughts. I shake off the dread in my stomach and greet them. “Hey, you two.”

“Hey,” Colt answers, and Ash adds, “Are you guys busy for dinner tonight?”

“Tonight?” Theo and I exchange glances. He shrugs and says, “Nah, I don’t think so. What do you guys have in mind?”

“We want to go to La Tavola Della Famiglia and celebrate.”

“Celebrate?” I ask.

With a slight shake of his head, Theo clears his throat, and Colt stares at him, his gaze narrowing when he says, “We’ll, uh, we’ll tell you tonight. What do you say we leave in an hour or so?”

Ash nods. “That should work. I’ll text Kate.”

“Sounds good.”

“You should invite Mack too,” Colt tells Theo. “Mama Taylor will appreciate it.”

Theo snorts but pulls out his phone and sends a text to his brother. “Always kissing my mom’s ass, man.”

“And I always will,” Colt jokes.

Checking the time on my phone, I tuck it back into my jeans and tangle my fingers with Theo’s, tugging him down the hall. “Come on. Let’s shower.”

---