Brandon's POV
The drive back should have been easy.
But it wasn't.
The engine hummed low beneath us, steady and predictable—unlike everything else swirling inside my head. Streetlights streaked past in long golden lines, fading just as quickly as they came, and the silence between us stretched tighter with every passing second.
Zoe sat beside me, quiet.
Too quiet.
I could feel the tension brewing between us.
I kept my eyes on the road, hands firm on the steering wheel, but my mind wasn't anywhere near the highway. It was back at the hotel. Back in that hallway. Back in Casey's voice—low, dangerous, promising things I didn't want to believe.
And worse…
That message.
You're not the only one watching her.
My jaw tightened.
I risked a glance at Zoe. She was staring out the window, her reflection faint in the glass. Her expression was unreadable, but something about the way her shoulders sat—tense, guarded—told me everything I needed to know.
