Page 187 of His Reckoning

Finally, she exhales slowly. “I never meant to hurt you.”

I nod once. “I believe that.”

Her shoulders relax slightly.

Then I add, “But you did.”

That’s the moment everything breaks.

The air shifts, and distance between us suddenly feels permanent.

Kayla swallows hard, then nods. “I’m so sorry.” The words are quiet. Defeated.

She grabs her bag from the counter. “I’ll stay with Melissa for a while.”

Panic tries to surface. I don’t stop her or tell her to stay.

I just stand here, watching her walk toward the door.

She pauses for half a second, like she’s waiting for me to say something—anything.

I don’t.

The door closes behind her with a soft click.

And just like that … the apartment feels empty again.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Kayla

By the time I get to Melissa’s, my hands are still shaking. I don’t remember most of the drive over.

I just hopped in the car and let the driver take me here while the lights and noise around me did nothing to distract me.

The sound of Sawyer’s voice played in my head over and over again.

“And you turned it into material.”

Dread settles in hard as the car pulls up to the building. I sit for a second as I try to pull myself together.

It doesn’t work. So, I grab my bag and get out of the car anyway.

Melissa buzzes me up and opens the door before I even knock. Of course she does.

She takes one look at me, and her entire expression shifts.

“Okay,” she says slowly, “what happened?”

I let out a breath that feels like it’s been stuck in my chest since I walked out of Sawyer’s apartment.

“He found the book, and now he hates me.”

Melissa winces. “Oh no.”

“Yeah.”

She steps aside to let me in. “Come in. Sit. Start talking.”