Ruby’s POV

I didn’t know how long I sat there, fingers curled around a half-empty glass. The alcohol had dulled the sharp sting in my cheek, but it hadn’t quieted the mess in my chest.

John’s voice still echoed in my ears, like a sour note that refused to fade.

“She asked for you.”

“She trusts you.”

Slap!

I bit the inside of my cheek. Took another slow sip.

And suddenly, as if the universe decided I’d suffered enough, Austin appeared.

He slipped into the seat beside me, ...