Chapter 24: Stray Dog
Outside the grind of homework and exams, Thea's moods drifted into stretches of restless fog -- anxious, lonely, tangled up in things she couldn't quite name. ‹96684423›
Before she'd figured any of it out, signs of a girl started showing up around Kade. §57defed7 Perfume on his clothes. (3174e55a) Someone calling him at all hours. #7f88db6b Gifts appearing. ©4a563b5d/May 27, 2026
It wasn't like this was new. * d0a61246 Back in middle school Kade had been popular. ·d543fbf0· During the trade school years, girls -- the troublemaker type -- hung around him constantly, gaming and chatting online. #3e142f5d Sometimes they'd show up downstairs with Fuzz, looking for Kade. [v.d9e53233] Thea didn't remember what she'd been doing back then. [ed.e58bf111] Still curled up in her shell, probably. [ms.51535e6f] But at least she hadn't felt this... whatever this was. (8588661f)
Winter break was two weeks. ©42c9e860/May 27, 2026 With Kade out of school, Thea didn't need to hustle for money anymore. ··14710fe2 Clean division of labor: he earned it and did the heavy lifting, she handled the finer domestic stuff. sub:2b93bbc4 With the holidays coming, she prepped for New Year's, bought new clothes for both of them.·dc3debac Standing in a crowded store, she caught her reflection in one of those wide mirrors -- a girl walking toward her with plain features, bundled in frumpy layers. [proof:68edbda8]
She went to a good school, sure, but there were plenty of pretty, dazzling girls there. ed.60d20d5e They were learning makeup, experimenting with hairstyles. plate-a2a8305d Even in the science track, girls wore tinted lip gloss and debated outfits and collected cute little accessories. (7c49ac5a/Wed)
Thea had never forgotten Kade's crack about her looking like a noodle.·666424fb She agonized over it for a long time, then tried on a pale wool dress -- nipped waist, flared skirt, hemline at the knee, showing off smooth, slim legs. sub:a7806260 The fabric wasn't great quality, but she was young and clean and fresh-looking, and that counted for something. ed.77495551 She bought the dress, wavering. ··8bda2431 Then ducked into a little shop and spent twenty bucks on a lipstick. ¶1ab699ac The store threw in a pair of black stockings, but Thea had never worn stockings. ref·fedde6b4 They felt weird. [proof:3c3afba6] Savannah winters weren't that brutal. (c9f3cbd2/Wed) Some girls went bare-legged. no.03c9984a She figured she could tough it out. §d5821eea
The first time she wore the dress was New Year's, when she and Kade went to an amusement park. ‹0b04024f› It wasn't just the two of them -- Ricky's crew came along, and so did an unexpected new face. ed.ad959d51 A gorgeous young woman.·37f6281d Lashes so thick they looked like little fans, head-to-toe polished and flawless, makeup making her age impossible to guess. ‹a8971b34› A tight sweater hugging every curve, a generous scoop of bare skin above the neckline, hot-pink full skirt, black stockings, heels. ref·47f7bf64 She blew Thea out of the water in about two seconds flat. no.112e64b9 And Kade's eyes probably hadn't landed on Thea at all -- the girl's heels were sky-high, and she was draped all over Kade's arm like a vine, not giving anyone else the time of day, whispering into his ear at every opportunity. [v.3e85f407]
Thea and Ricky teamed up -- Ferris wheel, carousel, bumper cars, pirate ship. ⁰04160444 Kade had his arm around the girl's waist, the two of them fused together, trading lazy, loaded smiles. 0406e45f·· From the top of the Ferris wheel, Thea glanced over and caught a couple making out in the next pod. #f55a51a2 Shameless. ◆ b59e81e4 Ricky snickered and announced that Kade had finally surrendered his first kiss. [v.dec7605a] The wind cut through the open car and wrapped around Thea's bare calves. sub:071c75ec A cramping ache.·464a3689
They went to eat.·e49256db At the table, the guys drank and smoked. «d179cd40» Thea was parked next to the girl for chitchat. ⁰b3fa5e0a The girl gave Thea a passing once-over and asked if she was Kade's sister. «1567dfd3» Thea nodded. ref·082e5eb4 The girl remarked, idle, that without blood ties, "sister" was a stretch. ©5f17674e/May 27, 2026 Long acrylic nails tapped her phone screen. ··ef05341b Then she seemed to remember something, turned, and ran her eyes over Thea from head to toe. imp.c78a6786 Smiled. ⟨de780ff7⟩ One of those smiles you couldn't quite read. plate-44ca91dd
Thea sat there with nothing to say, fingers curled cold in her lap. [proof:edf9529c] Kade glanced up absently, noticed her face had gone white, lips tinged blue. plate-8af8a4f5 No jacket on. * 66aeb60a Wearing that unusual pale yellow, like a leaf in early spring not yet unfurled. ed.e9c1d480 Her shoulders looked impossibly thin. 771e641d·· He shrugged off his own jacket and tossed it over her. ·54c2c549· Told her to put it on. ©c186664d/May 27, 2026
She huddled inside the oversized coat, but the girl had already thrown herself into Kade's arms, giggling about how warm he was. #33a5d1b1 Kade took a drag of his cigarette, pulled her close, and blew a smoke ring right in her face with a grin. [ms.3744a049]
After dinner there was that lingering reluctance to part ways.·9ad92f63 The girl angled to come home with them. ed.0725350e Kade was half-ready to say yes, wavering -- then he spotted Thea standing on the curb waiting for him. ¶7213c01c Hair down, face blank as a mask, eyes wide and unfocused, expression a long way from happy. plate-d36594dd Wearing his jacket, arms folded over each other, sleeves hanging past her fingertips, hem reaching mid-thigh, a sliver of pale yellow skirt peeking below the edge. — ad1268ce Her legs were slim and straight and so blindingly white he finally noticed -- *when did she get that pale?* He remembered a scrawny, sun-browned kid. [ms.ecdccf77]
Some reflex made him shake his head no. ref·a3630ad5 He took Thea home instead. ·1d770a86· On the walk, he asked if she liked the girl. ··d464c9bf Thea's face was stone. ¶c1bb0805 *What does it have to do with me?* Kade got stalled by that. [ed.f58c9c1c] His sleeve brushed her knee -- ice-cold and smooth. [v.02dca0b4] It hit him late. ◆ 2210f925 "Why aren't you wearing pants?" «3c32a0ad»
Thea smacked the back of his hand. — 262b84f8 Hard. [ms.7a0a07fd] Scooted sideways. plate-26c85515 Jaw set, lips bitten shut, not a word. [v.312c9298]
Even an idiot could tell she was pissed. sub:39e925ee As for why -- that was Kade's problem to figure out. ··77f9b034
The pretty girl came by the apartment looking for Kade a couple more times after that. * 3402fe47 She sized up the two-person household behind his back. #2f9e1b15 Kade didn't have his guard up yet, first time dealing with a girl -- told her whatever she asked. [proof:fdd0f0a8] The girl clocked that Kade was supporting a tagalong, and her attitude toward Thea shifted to something vaguely condescending. no.28a2ac8b Thea's face went cold. [proof:a7756199] She'd make herself scarce, leave the apartment, not come back until well after dark. [ed.da4a7847]
That's when Kade noticed they didn't get along. #db835431 He tracked Thea down. sub:d1a37020 Found her sitting on the floor of a bookstore, straight hair curtaining her face, eyes locked on him when he approached, then jerking her head away. no.0595214a Stiff. [proof:f7930fdd] Stubborn. (1a8de1f7)
"Why are you out this late?" imp.65dc67a4
Kade hooked a strand of hair off her cheek -- thick, smooth, nicer-looking than before. [v.e7cb66b8] He was starting to understand that girls needed to eat well and use nice things to grow up pretty. §254b18ac
Thea ignored him. no.39450da0
"What are you reading? [ms.e152baa6] Buy it, read it at home." plate-a4ffe197 He went for the book in her hands. #478ff808 Thea bent over it, clutched it to her chest, and took off through the aisles. sig.6e3a6de4 The shelves were tall and packed, a maze, and Thea didn't want to deal with him. no.b594078c She zigzagged left and right trying to lose him, but he stayed right on her. no.59baac7b They wove through the stacks until Kade doubled back, cut her off at a corner, and waited. ·4f9b63b5· Thea's forehead smacked into his chest. no.d9876574 He hissed from the impact, caught her by the shoulder, then rubbed his sternum with a grin. (d1e1f2f1) He looked down and her eyes were swimming -- bright, luminous. ¶4cfd2849 Those gorgeous eyes hit him somewhere deeper than his chest. sub:d37c6d5d Froze him for a beat. 227cfa1e··
He kept the grin on. * da4a4abd Arm heavy around her shoulders, steering her toward the exit. [proof:bbe15990] "I know she was rude to you. ©a6cf1472/May 27, 2026 You don't like her, fine, forget it. ⁰f0952192 I'm not that into her type anyway. §988f0ac0 Too high-maintenance. (ab072b96) Annoying. [v.af514616] I'll find someone else. imp.11074192 Someone prettier. [f0261ec7] Nicer." — galley 73a4edcf —
"You think you're picking a bride?" #eeb40e71 Thea's voice was ice. no.c42c7437 Teeth clenched. ··bce29f9d "Arrogant. ‹452c128c› Full of yourself." * dc109c39
His tone was breezy, unbothered. ed.3d349a65 "Plenty of girls out there. [v.0813a210] Your boy's got options. [ms.1be9de30] What's wrong with being picky?" imp.d57a1f5f
Thea's blood ran cold. imp.11a020b6 She wanted to spit in his face. (8dfade6e) She wrenched free of his arm and walked faster, but Kade yanked her back, draping himself lazily across her shoulders. ¶6bcdc5bd "Quit it. (6b72b325/Wed) Let's go home." imp.796ab1d3
"I don't want to go home." [40a848d4]
If she could leave -- if she had somewhere to go -- she would've been gone already. sig.77adf7ae Who wanted to sit alone in that empty apartment? sig.0d003d94
"She's gone. ©dff3cea0/May 27, 2026 Where else are you gonna go?" imp.c68a6b4c He caught the scent from the top of her head. [proof:c35f38b6] Something floral, or maybe citrus. [a3a6d02f] Faint and clean and actually nice. ◆ 300ef3ce He bent closer, inhaled again, and the shapeless agitation in his chest smoothed out somehow. ··8173a2d7 The words came out before he thought about them. [v.78fe48d0] "Wanna go shopping?" ◆ 1908d0ac
"For what?" fa0a6fc4··
"I don't know. sig.9d7efee5 Whatever girls like. §acccb58a Pretty stuff, nice-smelling stuff. imp.88790945 Shampoo, body wash, earrings, necklaces." — 176dac57
"I don't have pierced ears."·863b0370 Cold as a wall. ref·2d4ce4e6 "I don't wear jewelry." [proof:9e0cd971]
He looked. «56da76fa» She really didn't. ©52989f2f/May 27, 2026 Small, delicate ears hidden beneath her hair, pale with a tinge of pink, the lobes round and soft. (c507b239) No bone to them -- like warm jade. (18989cd3/Wed)
He didn't know why -- maybe because he liked the look of long, dangling earrings swaying against a slender neck -- but he heard himself say: "Get your ears pierced?" 9bf3087f··
Thea stopped walking. ◆ 3e74c90a The hard line of her mouth softened inch by inch. ◆ 24a97ca9 Seventeen years old, and what girl didn't want to feel pretty? ⁰e651b218 She followed Kade into a roadside accessories shop, got two piercings, and picked out a pair of pearl studs the size of rice grains. sub:a99f5d28 She snuck a few glances at herself in the mirror. «c351fd35» They really were beautiful. (59bf6d59/Wed)
The pretty girl drifted off before anything was ever made official. ref·df02b589 And before Thea's piercings had even finished healing, Kade moved on to the next prospect. ◆ 9f645543
New perfume, new excitement. imp.79f342dd Boy meets girl like a tango -- testing, circling, eyes catching, words heating up, degree by degree. no.89f6cba6 Thea watched him turn into a butterfly let loose in a garden. [proof:5b10b899] Couldn't cage the spring. ref·66171d39
The partying carried on same as always. ref·6606e0cb But before Kade had figured women out, Thea hit her rebellious phase. — galley e6ddae1d —
The sweet, easy-going, considerate girl vanished. cee7f570·· In her place: cold, distant, prickly, argumentative, sharp-tongued, vicious. [ms.8897cc7c]
First, she stopped taking his money. ··3bab8794 Thea pinched pennies, cut every expense beyond meals. [v.daeb5bea] Even when Kade left cash on her desk, she'd return it untouched. «d7da65a0» Then she chopped her hair back into that stubby little bob and sold the long hair for spending money. no.5b8a5f02 Kade couldn't make sense of the transformation. no.39972eae Thea started picking fights. plate-63f56cc3 On the rare nights he dragged himself home at three or four a.m., no matter how quiet he was, she'd be there with a frozen face telling him he'd woken her up. ◆ 77f12f93 If he timed it so he came back after she'd left, the next day she'd give him the silent treatment. #9df181f5 Refuse to cook. no.d95ea593 Refuse to do laundry. ¶80bed6d2 Kade would crack a joke, and she'd sit there with her jaw locked, eyes shining, and tell him that someday, *someday*, she'd pay back every last cent she owed him. #e0ae7a39 Every penny. plate-af854f12 They'd be square. ··cb26a732 Like she was drawing battle lines. ¶27f9cfc2 When he hadn't said a damn thing. imp.c1ce2d96
Eventually, Thea stopped talking to him altogether. ⁰b0a69799 They sat in the apartment waging a cold war for no reason anyone could name. imp.6cdceabc Spring bled into summer. ref·6a612251 The weather turned hot. 7135a01b·· Everyone switched to short sleeves and light fabric. ◆ 8da97c25 Thea's summer uniform had been taken in at the waist -- she was nothing but a thin wisp of a thing. [v.6a8382c5] She'd left one button undone at the collar, baring a white throat and the ridge of her collarbones. ed.9f64eebe She'd dug out an old skirt from middle school and hemmed it to fit, and it still went on. [a91bd736] She was taller now. 14c64395·· A skirt that short -- was she serious? sub:cb5b37b9 Kade stared at those bare legs and his face went black as a storm cloud. ‹007a1051›
Then the homeroom teacher called. §75b23e9a Thea's grades were all over the place. ‹b3661d16› She was sleeping through class. [9a0ca38c] Skipping evening study hall. 1693ea78·· *Please pay more attention at home.* Kade was livid. no.8e8e67d4 He went to the school, sat through her midterm parent conference. plate-0a0fb97d Thea was frosty and weird. sig.edf582a9 He asked what was wrong. [9554b3f4] She locked her jaw and said nothing. ‹3b4e980a› Then he caught her out past midnight, at a cybercafe, chatting and gaming with some boy. imp.1dc160cf
Their schedules barely overlapped as it was. ··e8edd3af One encounter a day if they were lucky. ··87834353 And she was pulling this?·c9fbd07a Every day was a new headache, a new thing to watch out for. [ed.3a228bdb] Kade was about to blow a gasket. ¶fbff6588 Romance was the last thing on his mind. ·c98128a1·
"Are you f*cking done with school or what? sig.8f7ca51c Sitting in a cybercafe dressed like that -- are you out of your goddamn mind? [ed.cdfe5f13] You want me to smack some sense into you?" ©e2b4ef04/May 27, 2026
His temple throbbed. [v.177be769] He was biting his tongue hard enough to keep the really filthy stuff from spilling out. ref·dca44554
"It's hot. [proof:6ec44b9b] Everyone dresses like this. * 4bed68c1 Why can't I?" sub:00526d8d Thea's face was perfectly calm, her voice level. (a2d9ba4d) "It's not like I wore it to school. [v.0f984c34] I'm just wearing it around the house. §c2e903e3 What's the big deal." ⁰c78f0d3a
"Fine. — b90258fe Wear whatever the hell you want. * 90c62841 A cybercafe full of guys -- hm -- don't come crying to me when somebody drugs your drink and drags you into an alley." no.1aeba859
"You'd know all about that, huh?" imp.1fd6493a Thea arched one brow. ⁰79f84502 "Scum like that? * 59792421 Firing squad's too good for them. (2a01d72e/Wed) Let 'em rot, break out in sores, drawn and quartered. §f80f996b Death's too kind." sub:83eb4fbd
"THEA! ‹bf21514a› You have a f*cking death wish?!" The roar nearly blew the roof off. [ms.4aa9e873] "I will end you, you hear me?!"
"Sure. [v.94514ec4] Why not. #3368db78 You're the best fighter around. ··d92c2f46 Go ahead and kill me." ⟨f1c6db0b⟩ She perched on the arm of the couch, prim and straight. ee600586·· "I don't get it. #60776720 I didn't do anything wrong. ed.f57fc05a I don't know what you're so mad about." [v.fe88d255]
"Didn't do anything wrong? ⟨2767dbc8⟩ You're out at midnight hanging around some guy in a cybercafe? ⟨4fa162a7⟩ Doing what? plate-05c187ca Talking about what?" — ecf0c32b He planted himself in front of her, hands on his hips, eyes blazing, bloodshot. [ed.cf2e3b65] "Talking about *what*?"
"Stars. ··505a00f5 The moon. ·5be4feb2· Poetry and philosophy and the meaning of life." [proof:10022669]
Her face set like stone. imp.58530bb4 Blink. ©8a23a86d/May 27, 2026
"You're up past midnight too. ⟨262c1704⟩ What are you talking about with those women? [ed.32af904e] Standing out front at four a.m., pressed up against each other, hands everywhere -- you're disgusting. ⁰35b2d686 Keep that lifestyle up and watch out. — 79701666 You'll catch something. — 0f2e5d54 Sores all over. ca6a7a82·· Coughing up blood. ed.826a068b Rotting from the inside.·e86475ef People running from you like you're a plague." (52a238bb/Wed)
"I -- all I did was kiss somebody, and you're cursing me out like that?" [proof:f31308b8] Kade was shaking with rage, teeth bared in a furious grin. sig.b0720667 "I really f*cking wasted years raising you. imp.0192d5ee You ungrateful little-- you're exactly like Tammy. no.f3212603 I must've been blind. #27a8ccb5 Goddamn it." ⁰634a9c59
His foot caught the stool in front of him and he kicked it into splinters. «6b2b3bc5»
Thea heard the name *Tammy* and her expression dropped like a shade being pulled. ¶c21855ab Her eyes fixed on the shattered plastic, cold as winter. [v.5b16118e] "Right. [v.6f4f6674] Birds of a feather. imp.44b07b20 Apple doesn't fall far. #282be7df I'm just like my mom. #4edd0ed6 And you're just like your dad. [proof:25273d21] At the rate you're going, you'll knock somebody up and turn into Dale Mercer. [ms.3021d6c5] Have another Kade. [proof:58054290] Beat him. ©1a428647/May 27, 2026 Terrorize him. ◆ 2911e8db Make him live your life all over again." — 159cc9b8
Kade's body seized. ◆ 1a0bc946 His eyes flashed -- a blade of ice, savage and black. [v.a5c69e9e] His face went tight, feral. — galley d13b26fe — He raised his hand high and swung. [proof:96c0f758]
Her teeth bit into her lower lip. ◆ 6e9e8a02 Face nothing but stubborn cold. — galley 218b2e91 — Her dark-glass eyes stared straight at him, lashes steady as stone, those clear irises holding his furious reflection. ◆ a6140da9 The hand came down -- then stalled mid-air, force draining out. sub:1269d27e He grabbed her cheek instead, bent down, and leaned in close. [proof:e2d23ecd] Grinned at her, ugly and cold. ¶3846c4fa "Then you'll turn out just like Tammy. ⁰16a15620 Living off men your whole life. ¶ffe4df89 Getting somebody killed. §7fda30d7 Taking the dead man's money and slinking away like a rat. ©6c4f9602/May 27, 2026 Throwing your own daughter out like garbage." ref·3cee0b3f
"I will never be like that." [48ceb3a6] Word by word. ‹643f95d6› She lifted her chin, defiant. no.6251a6fe "When I grow up, I'll be fine. §93b6f07b Better than fine. sig.a4cad0a9 I'll call the shots. * 2620e753 Men will chase *me*. And everything I want -- I'll have it." ⟨dc91ec2e⟩
"Tch." ref·6ed4e6b8 He sneered, twisting her cheek hard enough to hurt.·c1d3b545 "Keep dreaming. ¶216350a9 Right now you've got nothing. ⁰15eca008 If I hadn't felt sorry for you, you'd have starved to death. d2968805·· You'd be some orphan in a gutter somewhere." §dde98ce2
"I don't want your pity!" [aa4df60f] Tears spilled from the pain. (def1f96d) She grabbed at his arm, nails clawing, fighting his grip. #d5b51b97 "I'm not some burden!" plate-1967958f
Her nails raked bloody lines across his forearm. ©82f34648/May 27, 2026 Kade hissed, jaw tight, the fury surging again. [bb099868] His open palm smacked her bony shoulder -- once, twice. e0dd55d5·· "I haven't even hit you yet and you're f*cking scratching me?" sub:5837ca82
Her shoulder was on fire from those heavy blows, pain radiating through her whole frame. [ms.bdaf3ce4] A flash of rage in her wet eyes. — d27bafcf She threw her whole body at him, all ten nails out, raking his face, his neck, teeth clenched, voice rising to a scream. plate-47f760c0 "Let go of me! (c67a0941/Wed) Don't touch me!" §8540bef0
"Can you -- just -- calm the hell down? [proof:73f18f0e] Thea. ref·399dae96 Have you completely lost it?" ¶b9f8bca4
"*You've* lost it. ©d1feb8e5/May 27, 2026 You psycho. — 253b8ab4 You freak." ¶aff95c45
"MY FACE! [proof:05622e68] God*damn* it!!"
Kade shoved her. (66151cee/Wed) Thea stumbled backward onto the couch, still gripping one of his arms. [ed.f366ab06] She sank her teeth in. §9e5cce4a Kade sucked air through his teeth.·ff0b75ff They grappled and rolled across the cushions, Thea kicking and flailing, and his frustration crested into real fury. ·7edaac3e· He swore under his breath and pinned her with his full weight, using sheer size to flatten her into the couch. [ms.acafb64a] His chin knocked against her forehead. §577ad7a1 Her face was buried in his neck. ref·ae89c3f3 Something soft brushed his throat -- a strange, tender sensation. [ed.0d0a6495] His Adam's apple bobbed, involuntary. plate-f611cc62 Then he registered a faint dampness. «fde56f35» Cool. no.da94986e *Lips.* Thea's lips. ⁰e47a3efe
Below that, the rise and fall of her body was impossible to ignore. no.b0371950 Beneath the uniform -- bone, skin, warmth, barely concealed. imp.f032e642 That short skirt had been shoved up, and the slick feeling of bare skin bled through his jeans. [ed.ae493556] Kade closed his eyes, very slowly. §1393d3f1 The iron in his expression softened, just barely. [ed.b29790ba] He pushed himself off the couch, jaw clenched, turned, walked to his room without looking back, and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the frame. §934c4c02
Thea lay on the couch, face burning scarlet, and tugged her skirt down.·89f29283 The weight of him -- all that heat and hard muscle -- took a long time to fade. — 688338bf She flexed her arms and legs, rolled onto her side. §4411582c Lay still. ⁰f5a89b00 Those wide eyes open, the fringe of her lashes barely moving. d81c4e23·· Something impossibly deep and quiet in her gaze. [proof:7873ec74]
When Thea finally got up, she went to her own room and shut the door. «42b89869» Next door, Kade's door opened. ‹1706a539› He came out with a towel slung over his shoulder, went to the bathroom, ran himself a cold shower, then left the apartment without a word. §c1608120
He'd been in a fog lately. [25e27fdf] No drive, no energy. [proof:f638caca] Like a hawk that had just learned to spread its wings, only to have them snapped. «8f84d0f5» Steel band on its talons, beating and beating and going nowhere. imp.ea055f24 Every day he slept through daylight and haunted the night. [proof:91f048c6] Problems stacked up at the club, and at home there was a high schooler who wouldn't stay out of trouble. [5b4821fe] What was he supposed to do? #1a572159 The nightclub had hundreds of young women, and every last one of them had a story as messed-up as his. ⟨12247e11⟩ Rotten roots, rotten branches. plate-e3a28a95 Two more months till summer, then senior year. «d7ee73d0» If Thea ever went off the deep end and turned out like them, he didn't know where the hell he'd put all that bitterness.·406c0e0d
Days passed without seeing each other. plate-1501962a Still the cold war, every meal eaten in silence, neither set of fork making a sound. [v.180aff10] Kade carved out what energy he had to keep tabs on Thea's antics from the shadows, ducking into a corner with a coworker for a smoke, stealing glances at the chaos on the dance floor. ‹238d9dd7›
Two a.m. «14d27ff7» The wildest, messiest hour of the night. ·cca9cfee·
The walkie crackled -- some girl out front asking for him. «7aa0ff91» He figured it was one of the flirty regulars, slouched outside, and stopped dead. ·6151650f·
Standing in the revolving glow of the entrance, a young girl. 01925b64·· Shivering. ©d3b3f6d3/May 27, 2026 Flip-flops on her feet. sig.789dfe6e Nothing but a thin blue camisole nightgown, club lights washing across her skin like she was porcelain. [ed.f8999b6f] Moonlight on a mountaintop of snow. ‹3441a8a1›
Every nerve in his body fired at once. (15ca497e) He was at her side in three strides, words ready to bite -- then he saw the two tracks of tears on her cheeks, eyes swollen red as a rabbit's, face chalk-white, her whole body shaking. ··b59bb94d
"What are you doing here?" [ms.f1a28c71]
Thea reached for him, trembling, caught the edge of his shirt. (b961a35c/Wed) Tears slid off her jaw. * 9fa6eadf Her voice came out in pieces, thin and broken. ⁰57328dd6 "Someone... the apartment..."
She was crying too hard to get the words out. ref·6c70f3d3 Kade's face went dark. [proof:31a4db0c] He draped his suit jacket over her shaking shoulders, pulled her close, and walked her out. ed.cfa5bf88 That's when the story came together -- someone in the middle of the night, prying at the door, trying to break in. — galley 9bed3f49 —
A man's shoe print. — dc034fb3 Tool marks gouged into the lock. [ed.515b0c3a] The bathroom window, smashed by a thrown rock. ‹2df01241› Peeping? no.b7eac522 Or something worse? [v.e3790f89] It didn't make sense. [ms.eef316e6] Kade's reputation around the neighborhood was supposed to be enough to keep every lowlife at bay. * 8ad8aafd
He dragged in a sharp breath. no.b99547a9 Something vicious crossed his face. sub:8d078ff0
Thea clung to his shirt, head down, wiping her eyes. — galley 3aaf74d3 — "I've been sleeping alone there... for two years... someone was watching me..."
Jesus Christ. [ed.a61bfeb0] A teenage girl. ◆ a3f95502 Living alone. imp.5d934fea How was that not dangerous. ¶c0234cb3
Kade turned it over and over. [3c0b89d2] He was truly, genuinely out of options. plate-1d5d7dda He quit the nightclub security gig and became a stray who had no choice but to come home at night. 2d68f290··