Page 9 of Be My Compass

I’m not going to do that.

Knowing Kastle, he’s not going to tell me why he rushed over here.

He keeps all his hurt locked away. Trapped in a safe that I can’t touch.

Wasn’t that way when we were kids.

Back then, he told me everything. Gave me all the broken, ugly pieces of him. I couldn’t do anything about it then. I didn’t even know what that pain was. But I held it. I held him. And he was okay.

One day, that transparency stopped.

Suddenly, he had a place in his heart that he locked me out of.

It was like someone told him he couldn’t break down around me anymore.

Or maybe he just decided not to.

Either way, I’ve been flying blind. If I’m getting any intel, it has to come from the source of the pain.

“You have a moment to chat?” Her voice is calm, unnaturally bright. As if we call each other on the regular.

Anger sizzles up my skin. “I’m kind of busy, but if you can keep it short…”

“It will only take a minute,” she says, annoyance creeping into her tone. She’s probably miffed that I would dare to rush her. That I wouldn’t drop everything to take her call.

Good.

That was the point.

“Kae,” Kastle growls my name.

He’s standing now.

In the middle of my living room.

There’s a storm in his eyes.

A scowl on his lips.

I face him. Wave him away.

I’ll take the call in my room.

His stare is too intense.

His presence is too distracting.

“Sure. I can spare a minute.” I walk down the hall. “What’s up?”

“It’s about a party…”

Footsteps pound behind me.

I turn.

Blink rapidly.

Kastle’s running in my direction.

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