Nina

I’m sitting in the kitchen, trying to ignore the tension in the air. The house feels too quiet. My mind is louder than ever.

Jaxon’s been out of contact for hours. He’s never been good at answering calls, but this—this silence—is different. It’s too deep. Too long. I can feel it gnawing at me. It’s like the weight of everything is about to come crashing down, and I can’t stop it.

I rub my temples and sigh, a little more tired than I’ve let on. I know I need to focus on ...