Page 114 of The Broken Keys

But the actual truth of her statement twists like a knife in my chest. She’s exactly as breakable as we fear. One wrong word, one misplaced truth, and she could shatter.

“Nobody thinks you’re a child.” I slide my palm into hers. “We’re just trying to protect you from information overload while your brain heals.”

“Then tell me one thing.” She locks her gaze on mine. “Just one honest answer. Can you do that for me, Callum?”

I swallow hard. “Depends on the question.”

“Are you hiding something from me?” She searches my face like she’s trying to find the lie I’m burying. “Because it feels like everyone in this room knows something I don’t.”

Fuck.

Five Days Later

Now

After convincing Livianna we all have her best interests at heart, she relaxed, but that doesn’t mean she’s fine with the situation.

That’s just another thing I’ll handle once she’s discharged.Until then, things need to be in place that support her well-being. That’s why Jaxon and I are gonna make sure there’s nothing at her new place that could trigger her.

I punch in the numbers to her gate. The wrought iron swings open, revealing Livianna’s driveway. Jaxon’s black sedan idles behind my rental car, waiting.

We agreed to do this together, clearing her house of anything that might bring forward memories she’s not ready to handle. Photos with him. His clothes. Anything that doesn’t fit the narrative of eighteen-year-old Livianna who thinks I’m still her boyfriend.

I park and Jaxon pulls up beside me. When he steps out, exhaustion hangs off him like a weight he can’t shed.

Dark circles shadow his eyes. His usually immaculate appearance is frayed at the edges—overgrown beard, messy hair, and wrinkled shirt and jeans.

“Thanks for doing this with me.” I wave for him to follow me.

He glances at the house and falls in behind me. “She’s coming home today. This needs to be done.”

We go inside. Her warm, spicy perfume that clings to everything she touches floats around us. It’s a knife to the throat for both of us.

“I’ll take the main level.” Jaxon motions around us. “You should check the area upstairs.”

“Yeah, right.” I trudge up her staircase.

With each step I take, I dread it more than the last. I work my way through all the extra bedrooms and finally make myself go into her bedroom.

How many times I wished I could fall asleep with her is beyond comprehension, but being in here today feels like a betrayal on some level. I wasn’t invited, and that’s eating me to the core.

This room has been untouched since the accident. Herbed is unmade and clothes are draped over a chair. There’s a coffee mug on the nightstand.

The en suite bathroom door is open. That’s when I see them.

Three packages on the counter. The pregnancy tests are laid out. I don’t wanna look and face reality. It’s too hard to take.

“Fucking hell.”

“Cash? Did you find something?” Jaxon appears in the room.

I can’t answer. I just stare at those tests like they’re the destruction of my relationship with her.

“What are you doing?” His gaze finds mine first, then tracks to the counter. “Are those…?”

“Yeah.”

We both inch forward until we’re in direct sight. Three white sticks are lined up on the counter. Two pink lines on one, a digital display that has the word pregnant on display, and another with a plus sign.