Orion’s POV

Cradling Ava's limp form against me, her body cold and still, the past week came crashing into my mind like a relentless tide, dragging me back to the darkest moments. Chloe’s voice, as clear as if she were standing right here, played over and over in my head.

I closed my eyes, fighting the flood of memories, but they came anyway. The first time she’d called after the scandal had faded—her calm, unnervingly calculated tone—it had felt like the beginning of something dangerous. Something insidious.

“I want you there at six,” she'd threatened, her voice oozing venom masked as sweetness. “Or I’ll make sure this goes public. Think...