Chapter Twenty-Three

Rayne

I flex my hand as soon as I wake up in the morning.

It’s oddly sore. Maybe I slept on it for too long. I brush the thought off and go into the bathroom to freshen up. I feel exhausted and barely remember what happened yesterday. My head hurts a little but it’s nothing I can’t handle. The pain is very much bearable.

I’m never ever doing that again.

When I step out, Denise is there waiting for me. I’m surprised to see her because I just recalled Veronica telling me that someone else would replace her because she had other things to do related to Alaska’s arrival.

“Denise?”

“Your breakfast is ready,” she says with a wide smile but I can tell she’s up to something.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I say.

“I can be wherever I want. It makes no sense for me to not support you when you’ll need more support now more than ever.”

“But Veronica—”

“Don’t worry about her,” she waves me off. “I’m not worried so why should you be? I’m more worried about the drinking you did yesterday th