Max POV The spring night was cool, carrying the scent of rain as Conrad Adams drove in silence, a soft song playing through the car’s speakers. I sat in the passenger seat, soaking in every moment with him, each second feeling like a rare treasure. The sullen teenager was gone now, leaving just t
“But Conrad knows Albert!” Caleb shot back, leaning forward. “Albert’s close to Annie’s mom, right? He could talk to her, get her to tell Annie to ditch Peter and come back to me.” Conrad sighed, his patience clearly wearing thin. “Caleb, I’m not getting in the middle of your love life. You need to
Max POV The car was quiet now, the kind of silence that felt like it could either cradle you or crush you, depending on how you looked at it. Conrad drove through the city, weaving toward the humbler neighborhoods of Brooklyn where Ned Jackson and his family lived. Caleb was slouched in the back
Max POV The diner was a time capsule, all chipped chrome counters and red vinyl booths that squeaked when you sat down. The air smelled of fried onions and coffee that’d been brewing since morning, and the jukebox in the corner hummed some old Springsteen tune. It was the kind of place that felt
“So,” I started, leaning back in the seat, “you’re back in New York, working with Albert again. Feels like old times, huh?” He nodded, his eyes on the road. “Kind of. The city’s different now, though. Feels louder, busier. Or maybe I’m just out of practice.” “Out of practice?” I said, smirking. “Y
Max POV I was sprawled on the couch in my apartment, the city lights bleeding through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a glow of neon and shadow across the room. My mind was stuck on Conrad Adams. Ever since I saw him at Albert’s place, he’d taken over my thoughts, a relentless loop of memor