“Yeah… okay, if you think it’s the best idea,” Paloma sighed, picking at the chipped edge of her teacup, brown eyes rolling as she glanced toward Kate. “Uh-huh. Well, it makes no sense to me, but if you insist… okay, see you tomorrow. Yeah, I love you too. Bye. Bye. Yes, Heath, buh-bye.” Clicking off her phone, she laughed, rubbing the corners of her eyes as she shook her head. “I will never understand how men’s friendships work.”“Why? What happened?” She nibbled on one of the cookies Paloma had laid out before her, hoping her interest in Colton’s reaction came off nonchalant and casual. Paloma didn’t buy it, one eyebrow rising smugly as she sipped her tea. “Colton didn’t take it too well, but did you really think it’d go any differently?” She waited for Kate’s solemn head shake before continuing. “Heath told me to leave be

“You…” his words trailed off, his smooth voice of disbelief reminding her for a millisecond of Colton; of the way he struggled so often to believe she loved him, to believe she wouldn’t run away. He was messed up, but she knew that when she met him, when she fell in love with him. Her heart sank at the thought of him sitting in their apartment, wondering how the hell they could make this work… wondering if it was possible for him to ever be in a healthy, functioning relationship. It sank lower at the thought that maybe it wasn’t. “You love me?” Preston’s voice banged through her ears, drawing her back to the rancid bathroom, to the preened man before her with his baby blue eyes wide in disbelief. “I - I didn’t think you’d admit it.”Kate wondered if he knew what she was playing at, that her declaration was nothing more than a farce to help her escape this situation alive, but the genu

The crack of knuckle on jaw pierced through the thick veil of ear-splitting music, Preston’s face lurching to the side in slow-motion, a horrifying spatter of blood spraying from his warbling lips. Through her fog, Kate watched his eyes widen, unwillingly releasing her from his grasp as he stumbled back. Small gasps echoed from the people congregating around, their distorted movements to the beat coming to a standstill. The shock that had implanted in the deep crevices of his forehead dissipated, rage washing over him, turning olive cheeks scarlet. The tension in the air was palpable, the anticipation and dread clawing in the pit of her stomach as Kate’s gaze flickered to the officer, to the voice she’d heard, ensuring they were well prepared, well equipped, for the wrath of Preston Abbot. The tug of her stomach joined with the cinching ache in her chest, knocking the breath clean from her lungs as she caught sight of the absolute fury contorting Colto

Tilting her head to the side, Kate scrunched her damp hair with a towel; her body completely cleansed of any remnants of the night, her face red and slightly raw, her gums partially swollen, from the ferocious scrubbing she’d given herself, in the hopes of disposing of any traces of Preston left behind. Colton’s black t-shirt hung from her chest, only outlining the smooth lines of her hips as she walked toward the bed, draping the towel over the hook on the back of the door before she did so.“Are you sure you’re okay?” Colton murmured, dark eyes trying and failing to avoid the olive skin of her thighs, the shirt lifting fractionally as she swept her hair over one shoulder before clambering into the bed. He scratched the back of his neck before folding his arms across his chest, a futile attempt at preventing his hands from reaching out to touch her. “You look like you about skinned yourself.”“Gee, thanks,” Kate ro

The smell of bacon wafted in from the kitchen, the gentle hum of the radio mingling with the crackling of fat in the pan and Colton’s soft singing. Kate smiled, burying her face in the pillow to hide the schoolgirl glee dancing across her features. The air felt lighter, the weight bearing down on her shoulders for so long finally lessening, giving her the chance to breathe. Leisurely, she rolled from bed, stretching out her stiff muscles, relishing in the satisfying pop of her back as she pressed her hands into the base of her spine, her head falling back to release the tightness accumulating there. Tendrils of steam twirling caught her eye, and she bit her lower lip to suppress her grin. The mug was still hot, and she cupped it in both hands as she meandered into the kitchen, watching the winged woman dance across Colton’s broad shoulders as he jiggled the frying pan.Instinctively, she rested her cup on the counter and slipped behind him, her hands crawling arou