LOGINWe step out into the corridor together, heading towards the room we’d seen him go into. “Hey,” I call as we spot Jake’s assistant leaving the room opposite. “Have you seen Jake?”She looks up, relief flickering across her face as if she’s glad it’s not another emergency.“Yeah,” she says. “He stepp
**Poppy’s POV **After the tree of death tried to kill me, we head back into the clinic for breakfast. Jake leaves to check on his patients, promising to catch up with us soon. I want to tell him no, that I need him with me, but that will only worry him and Leo. I feel fine; the chill I had last ni
His mouth twitches slightly, but he doesn’t quite smile.“Good,” he says.Good? I stare at him.“That’s not an answer.”“No,” he agrees. “It isn’t, but you also didn’t ask a question.”My hands clench at my sides, which is more Leo’s style than mine. I force them to relax.“Ronnie…”“When something
** Jake’s POV **That baby should have died. The thought swirls in my mind, no matter how many times I try to push it aside. I’ve seen enough births to know the difference between a close call and a miracle. That wasn’t a close call; it was impossible.I stand at the end of the bed, watching as the
“Poppy,” Jake’s voice calls, softer than before.I glance over at him. He’s watching me now.A flicker of unease slides through me.“Yeah?” I call back, forcing a small smile.His gaze narrows slightly, as if he’s trying to piece something together that doesn’t quite fit.“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Jake watches me closely.“I’m fine,” I insist, before he can say anything. I know he doesn’t fully believe me, but he doesn’t argue.We step out into the corridor together, and I hear a few voices drift in the distance. “Jake,” Leo says quietly beside me. “What’s going on?”Jake exhales slowly as
“I know.” Remy pulls in a shaky breath, and I can see how close he is to crumbling again. I should leave it. I should let him have this quiet grief and not drop another emotional bomb on top of the mess we’re already in. But this might be how I can help him. This might be how I fix it for him.
** Parker’s POV ** I follow Remy through the back door and into the morning chill. The sun is over the treetops, casting shadows across the grass, but the warmth hasn’t reached us yet. Remy’s pacing along the tree line, his jaw tight, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie like he’s tr
A door slams upstairs, and I flinch. I hope he didn’t wake Jaxon. “Sorry, he doesn’t like changes much,” Parker says. “I’ll talk to him.” “It’s fine,” I lie. “I’m going to crash soon, anyway. If you need anything, you know where to find us.” Parker smiles and I nod. “Good night, Parker.”
I swallow hard, throat tight. I’ve been so busy trying to protect myself that I didn’t stop to consider that maybe he’s been doing the same thing. That maybe we’re not that different after all. Now I don’t know if he’ll ever trust me again, but I have to try. I glance at the door once mo







