Clara’s POV

  I stood in the hallway, my hand on the doorknob to Ethan’s room, which was cracked open just enough for me to peek inside.

  The house felt empty without our parents around, gone for the whole weekend on some trip, leaving just me and him to deal with each other.

  We had never been super close since Mom married his dad two years ago, but we got by with the usual step-sibling stuff, like sharing the bathroom or arguing over the TV remote.

  Right now, though, I needed to ask him something simple.

  “Ethan, have you seen my black lace panties anywhere? You know, the pair with the...