Seventeen
April Twenty-Seventh
Whitney
Whitney’s eyes were closed with the sound of the needle buzzing and scraping against her skin. She heard the door open and looked up at Fade. “You're already done?”
Questioning what he could have possibly gotten tattooed that would be quick, when Murphy was just starting her second hand. He was wanting to surprise her but told Whitney it would be about her.
He nodded.
“Show me what you got.”
Fade stepped toward her and displayed his sparrow tattoo. “You know I got this tattoo as a reminder that I would never marry and I would never tie down.”
The tattoo now had the broken rope carrying the name Lilith underneath it. “I will always be tied to you.”
“Baby, I love it.”
He bent down and kissed her before his eyes focused on her hands. “How's yours coming?”
May Thirteenth
Whitney couldn’t stop staring at Fade after she exited the bathroom. It was as if every time he dressed up, he took it one step farther. Tonight was no exception. The sleek black suit hugged his frame perfectly, and the way the dark fabric contrasted against his skin made her heart race. They weren’t lying when they said suits were lingerie for women. She no longer wanted to go to the ball, She wanted to take advantage of his empty apartment.
“You look absolutely gorgeous,”
he murmured, pulling her in close. “And I thought I liked you in blue.”
She smiled up at him, her green dress flowing elegantly down her body. It was a little more modest than her usual style, but somehow that made it even more alluring. “I can put something blue on afterward,”
she teased, biting her bare lip. “But I’m excited to see the other girls and everybody else, so let’s go.”
The community center buzzed with life when they arrived. They quickly spotted Wolfgang and Juniper sitting with Shianne, Max, Marilyn, and Amy. Whitney and Juniper had grown close over the past few months, and Whitney smiled warmly at her across the table. Juniper and Wolfgang looked perfect together, like they were made for each other. Shianne and Max also looked happy, their bond obvious in the way they leaned into each other.
Reaching across Fade, Whitney tapped Max’s arm. “You and Shianne look really nice tonight.”
“Thank you,”
Shianne said, turning toward the conversation with a hand on her stomach.
“Congratulations, by the way!”
Shianne nodded, her smile growing softer. “Due late November.”
“That’s awesome! Congratulations to both of you!”
Whitney pouted suddenly. “I just wish Brittanya was here.”
“I know! Maybe next year,”
Shianne said, sitting back in her chair.
After dinner, Whitney glanced down at her resized ring, now wrapped snugly around her healed, tattooed knuckles. If she had chosen how her life would turn out, it never would have been as good as this. Happiness bloomed in her chest as she smiled to herself. Across the table, she noticed Wolfgang leaning into Juniper’s face, grinning at her. Juniper’s cheeks flushed, and without a word, she pulled the tablecloth off her lap and exited the room.
Fade’s fingers traced light, soothing patterns along the back of Whitney’s arm, but she couldn’t stop watching Wolfgang. His eyes followed Juniper’s retreating form with an intensity that made Whitney’s stomach tighten with unease. Something was off. When Wolfgang’s gaze shifted, she turned her head and spotted a man standing up and heading toward the exit.
Wolfgang’s body went rigid, his entire demeanor shifting from relaxed to alert in seconds. Whitney felt the urgency crackling in the air as he whispered something to his mom and quickly followed the stranger outside. Margaret and Marilyn exchanged tense words before hurrying after him.
“What the hell is going on?”
Whitney murmured, eyes locked on the door.
Amy stood abruptly. “I’ll be right back.”
Whitney didn’t think, she just followed. As they stepped outside into the cool night air, they rounded the building and froze at the sight before them. Wolfgang was being restrained by two men, his muscles straining against their grip. The stranger who had followed Juniper outside had his hand wrapped around her face, his fingers digging into her skin.
“Holy shit,”
Whitney whispered, her voice trembling. “Is that the ex she told us about?”
Amy’s jaw tightened, and she gave the smallest nod. “I think so.”
Whitney’s heart twisted painfully as she watched Juniper struggle, her fear palpable even from a distance. Wolfgang’s face was a mask of rage and helplessness, his eyes blazing with fury.
Suddenly, Wolfgang broke free with a surge of strength, slamming Juniper’s ex against the side of a Jeep with enough force to dent the door. The two men scrambled after him, but Juniper’s terrified expression made them hesitate. Margaret stepped in, her voice commanding and urgent as she directed the men away and led the entire group up the mountain.
Whitney’s heart pounded in her chest as she and Amy made their way back inside. She slid into her seat next to Fade, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders.
“What the hell was that about?”
he asked, his brow furrowed.
“Juniper’s ex,”
Whitney whispered. “She wasn’t imagining things, he’s here. Wolfgang tried to fight him in the parking lot, and Margaret took everyone up to the mountain.”
Fade’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, shit.”
“Yeah. I hope they get everything settled.”
He nuzzled into her ear, his breath warm against her skin. “Kinda wish I knew there’d be fighting. I miss fighting sometimes.”
“Stop it.”
She elbowed him in the ribs, but her heart wasn’t in it. She pulled out her phone and quickly texted Brittanya.
Whitney: Juniper just got confronted by her ex.
Brittanya: Are you serious? I was hoping it wasn’t really him.
Whitney: It’s him. Wolfgang almost fought him. They’re with the council now.
Brittanya: No! Whitney, no. That’s what happened to my stepdad, and he got sent back! It’s never good to talk to the council!
Whitney’s stomach dropped.
Whitney: Shit. I’m going to go try and help.
She turned to Fade, her pulse racing. “We need to go.”
He blinked at her, startled. “What now?”
“We need to help him.”
Without waiting for his response, she stood, grabbing her clutch and heading for the exit.
Fade quickly caught up. “Whitney! What’s going on?”
“We can’t just sit here!”
she said, her walk turning into a run the moment they hit the parking lot.
May Fourteenth
Fade
“Fade.”
He opened his eyes to find Whitney standing in his room, slipping into lounge pants.
“Yeah?”
His body moved without warning, instinctively concerned for her after everything that had happened with Juniper. “What is it?”
She pulled a tank top over her head and smoothed it down her torso. “I want to talk with you and Brittanya. She agreed to go to breakfast with us this morning, so can you get up and get ready?”
“Sure. Is this about June?”
“It’s about the whole thing. I barely slept last night, and I need to talk to both of you.”
Whitney pulled her hair into a ponytail, her movements tight and anxious.
He stood, throwing the comforter back on the bed, only then noticing the lack of daylight. “What time is it?”
“Almost seven. The diner’s open, and Brittanya didn’t sleep well either.”
Fade stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, groaning softly. “Good thing I showered before bed. Do I need to shower again?”
“No, Fade. Your hair’s a little wild from going to bed with it wet, but just pull it back. B’s meeting us in fifteen minutes.”
“Alright, I’m moving.”
He stumbled to his closet in search of something comfortable.
Whitney
Whitney threw her arms around Brittanya as soon as she saw her in front of their booth. “June really didn’t come home last night?”
she whispered.
“No.”
Brittanya’s voice cracked.
Whitney squeezed her tighter. “I can’t believe it.”
When Brittanya pulled back, her hands stayed firm on Whitney’s shoulders. “I know.”
Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”
Whitney nodded, sliding into the booth next to Fade. He wrapped an arm around her, his warmth grounding her. She stared down at the menu, the words blurring together. “What happens now?”
she asked, lifting her eyes to Brittanya. “What’s the process for… all this?”
Brittanya exhaled slowly, her fingers curling around her coffee mug. “When my stepdad was removed from the island—”
“What did he do?”
Whitney interrupted.
“He got aggressive with my mom.”
“Oh. Sorry. Go on.”
Whitney rested her chin in her palm, her stomach twisting.
“They weren’t married long. Once The Council found out, they took him up the mountain. We never saw him again. My mom cleared out his stuff the next day, donated everything. I think they told her he wasn’t coming back.”
The waitress stopped by, dropping off mugs of coffee and taking their orders. Whitney wrapped her hands around the warm cup. “But what actually happens to them?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve heard they give you the memory-loss injection and put you in some kind of coma until they send you back to where you came from.”
“God, that’s awful.”
Whitney stared at the pattern on the table, her eyes stinging. “Wolfgang saw that happen last night. His yell… it was haunting.”
Her voice broke, and she leaned into Fade’s side. “I can’t imagine what he’s going through.”
“I’ll send him a message later,”
Fade said gently. “It’s still early. If he’s getting any sleep at all, I don’t want to interrupt it.”
Whitney sighed. “We should go see him. Let him know we’re here.”
“That’s a good idea,”
Fade agreed.
Brittanya flipped her phone face-down on the table. “I’ll let you guys know when a good time is. He’s gotta be hurting, and he needs to know he’s not alone.”
She glanced at Fade. “It’d be good to have some guys there, too.”
“Absolutely,”
he said without hesitation.