Page 37 of Please Open Me
I forced myself to breathe, slow and even, despite the tingling anxiety dancing across my limbs. For the last eight months, I’d been free from the Sons of Christ.
Still, the unease lingered.
Deep down, I knew freedom didn’t mean safety, and silence didn’t mean peace.
But maybe that was just the paranoia talking.
The soundtrack of my drive home wasn’t music—it was the crunch of gravel beneath my tires and the thoughts ricocheting around my head.
Most of my anger had faded, at least where Mason was concerned.Sebastianshould’ve known better.
What the hell were we supposed to do if she was pregnant?
My jaw ached from how hard I’d been grinding my teeth. By the time the house came into view, I wasn’t mad anymore—just confused, and maybe a little tired.
Normally, I’d stay in the truck for a few minutes, let the quiet settle me. Let the engine tick and cool while I watched the wind toy with the long grass.
But not today.
Today, Icouldn’twait.
The plastic bag rustled as I snagged it off the seat before pausing. Something in my gut told me not to walk in with the pregnancy tests visible.
And, while I didn’t know what the feeling was, I obeyed. Cracking open a box, I slid out three individually wrapped tests and slid them into my pocket before going inside.
The second I slipped my boots off, Sophia was on me like a bloodhound.
“How was your trip to the store?” She asked.
Suddenly, she was closer than I liked. Jesus. Had she been waiting for me to get home?
“Fine,” I mumbled, sidestepping her gaze.
But her eyes flicked down to my empty hands—and lingered.
“They were out of—” I started, then faltered, the lie unraveling before I even finished it. “Cigarettes?”
Her back went rigid.
“Cigarettes?” she echoed, tone sharp enough to draw blood. “You don’t smoke anymore.”
I exhaled through my nose, already regretting it.
“They’re not for me,” I said. “Seb’s out.”
She didn’t say anything, just looked at me like she could see straight through the excuse.
I made a mental note to text Seb to grab a pack before he came home. If I were going to lie, I had to make it believable.
“Hey, you seen Mae?”
Sophia’s eyes narrowed, and my heart skipped.
“Why?” she asked, leaning in, her suspicion barely masked by a honied tone.
I shrugged, trying to keep my expression as neutral as possible.
“She was sick this morning. I wanted to check on her,” I said slowly, but definitely not convincingly.
