MIRA
I wanted to leave.
Should've left ten minutes ago. This conversation was going nowhere except in circles—Kai defending Sloane, me trying to make him see reality.
But he'd ordered my coffee. My usual. Without asking. Without me telling him what I liked.
He'd remembered from last time.
And he looked genuinely concerned. Not about Sloane. About Bryce.
That made it harder to hate him.
"Is he going to accept?" Kai asked.
"I don't know. He's thinking about it."
"What did you tell him?"
"To refuse it. Obviously."
"Even though it would help his mom?" Kai's voice was careful. Not accusatory. Just... asking.
"There are other ways."
"Are there? Really?" He leaned forward slightly. "Because from what I understand, you're both working multiple jobs and it's still not enough."
I went cold. "How do you know that?"
"I researched. After we first met." He didn't look ashamed about it. "Wanted to understand what Bryce is actually dealing with."
"That's creepy."
