I sent the girls on their way back to Ava's quarters, not wanting Simone to be alone in her room upstairs. At least they left as friends and I hoped this brought them closer together. From the way they exited the bathroom with their arms around each other's waists they'd been good buddies all along. Letting a guy come between them? Tragedy.

I stood in the hallway for a moment, thinking, Petunia panting and waiting for me to figure out what I was going to do next. I ...