LOGINMichael's POVThe moment I saw Theo and Roberto standing at the entrance to the kitchen, my heart nearly stopped.Not because they had startled me, but because of the timing.A few seconds earlier and they would have seen Fernando's hands on me, my hands on Fernando and the kiss.I silently cursed myself.Fernando, meanwhile, looked far too calm. That alone irritated me.I immediately took a step away from him then another, creating distance, trying to look normal.Unfortunately, I had spent years working alongside trained investigators, and one thing I had learned was that people always looked suspicious when they were trying not to look suspicious.Theo's eyes moved between Fernando and me, far too carefully and my stomach tightened.Please don't ask.Please don't ask."What are you two doing?"Of course he asked.His voice sounded casual and I immediately knew he was suspicious.Fernando opened his mouth but I instantly cut him off."Nothing" I replied.Fernando glanced at me."You
Theo's POVThe moment I heard Marlo's voice, the room suddenly felt colder. Across from me, Roberto had gone completely still.I tightened my grip on the phone."What do you want?" I asked.Marlo laughed again."Straight to business.""I don't have time for games" I said.Even through the phone I could hear the smugness in his voice. The man always sounded like he believed he was the smartest person in every room.Unfortunately, he was often dangerous enough to make people tolerate it."I heard you've had a rough few days," Marlo continued."That's funny.""I thought so."The silence stretched briefly then his voice became colder, more serious."Tell me, Theo. How does it feel being on my list?"I frowned."What list?""My revenge list" he replied. Roberto immediately straightened. I could practically feel the tension rising inside the room.I leaned back against the headboard."Should I be scared?""Probably" he said.I laughed, mostly because I refused to let him hear my shock."I'
Fernando's POVFor the first time since arriving at Michael's house, I felt like fate was finally giving me a break.Roberto had gone upstairs to check on Theo.The annoying rival who seemed determined to appear every time Michael and I shared even a single meaningful moment was temporarily out of sight.And Michael was standing right in front of me, alone.Well, as alone as we could be in a house filled with complicated relationships and unfinished history.The sunlights cast a warm glow across the room. Outside, the warm sky pressed against the windows, quiet and cool.Michael stood by the counter with his arms folded which usually wasn't a good sign.Whenever he folded his arms like that, it meant he was preparing to disagree with me, or lecture me.Or both."You need to stop glaring at me," he said.I raised an eyebrow."I'm not glaring" I replied. "You absolutely are.""I prefer the word observing" I corrected. Michael rolled his eyes.God, I had missed this. Not the arguing. W
Theo's POVThe moment Michael left the room, I opened my eyes.The door clicked shut behind him, silence followed and for several seconds, I remained exactly where I was, staring at the ceiling.If anyone had walked in right now, they would have assumed I was asleep.That was exactly what I wanted.Slowly, carefully, I pushed myself upright then pain immediately shot through my side."Son of a—"I stopped myself.The doctors had been right. I had no business leaving the hospital. Every muscle in my body felt like it had been run over by a truck but that wasn't important.What was important was Fernando.I looked toward the bedroom door and my jaw tightened.I didn't trust him, not even a little, especially after everything that had happened.The threats, the lies, the suspicious timing of his arrival and the fact that I had ended up in surgery after he conveniently decided I was a problem.No. I wasn't taking chances.I reached into the small bag Roberto had brought for me and Inside
Michael’s POVIt took much longer than I expected to get Theo to fall asleep, partly because he was stubborn and mostly because he clearly didn't want to sleep.Every time his eyes started closing, he would somehow find a reason to continue talking.At first it had been about the hospital then Kim, Henry, Ashley and Nick then somehow he had started talking about the terrible quality of hospital food again.I was beginning to suspect he was deliberately trying to stay awake."Theo, you need to sleep" I said."I'm trying" he replied. "No, you're talking" I corrected. "I'm multitasking" he argued. I rolled my eyes then pinched the bridge of my nose as Theo smiled weakly."I like when you worry about me" he said."That's not helping your case" I replied. Eventually exhaustion won and his voice became slower. His words started slurring together and finally his eyes closed completely.I sat beside the bed for another minute just to make sure the rise and fall of his chest became steady.
Fernando’s POVI hated Theo.At this point, I wasn't even trying to pretend otherwise. The man had an incredible talent for appearing at exactly the wrong moment.I stood alone in Michael's kitchen, staring at the refrigerator while holding a bottle of water I hadn't actually taken a drink from yet.The house was too quiet. The kind of quiet that allowed thoughts to become dangerous and my thoughts kept replaying the same scene.Michael against the wall, his eyes on mine, the way he had looked at me, the way he had pulled me closer and the way he had kissed me back.My grip tightened around the water bottle.Damn it. Even now, remembering it made my heart quicken. I could still taste his saliva in my mouth and I wanted more.For weeks I had been trying to convince Michael that what existed between us wasn't dead. That all those years hadn't erased everything.Tonight had proven I wasn't imagining it. Michael still felt something and I knew it.I had felt it, seen it and for a brief m
Fernando’s POV The sky had turned an inky blue when we finally pulled off the road. A blinking neon sign buzzed faintly in the distance, illuminating the weather-worn letters that read: Sunset Pines Motel. Its name sounded better than it looked. The parking lot was half-empty, cracked and litt
Micheal's POV The air in Saint Aldric’s Hospital parking lot was heavy. Not just with the thick evening mist that rolled in from the coastal cliffs, but with a kind of pressure that settled over my chest like wet cement. I needed a shower. I needed sleep. Hell, I needed peace. I was done with my
Marlo’s POV The moment I ended the call with Michael, I slammed the phone down so hard I heard the case crack. “Damn it!” I hissed, pacing the floor like a caged animal. Michael had messed it all up. Everything. All I wanted to do was to take Henry calmly when he was done from school and
Fernando’s POV The look on Michael’s face was priceless. He opened the door, expecting a peaceful morning in their quiet little apartment, and instead, he found me standing right there, hands in my coat pockets, breathing in the sterile scent of the hallway like I had all the time in the world.







