~Jennie’s~

“I never hated him,” Leo says as he pours coffee into two matte black mugs. “I was just… disappointed.”

The words are like thick smoke in the kitchen air. I'm sitting at the edge of the island whilst my fingers tap against the handle of my cup. I don't drink yet. I just stare at the steam curling up like it’s trying to spell something I can’t read.

The mansion is too quiet. Blair’s not around, and Blue’s napping in the next room. Sunlight pours through those tall suburban windows Reo would scoff at. It’s peaceful here. But it’s the kind of peace that feels borrowed, not earned.

Leo...