"My family didn't want me coming alone, so my brother came with me."
Talia said it lightly, almost casually, but there was a trace of helplessness beneath her calm tone. Her gaze lingered on Marcus as they walked, soft and steady, as if she were trying to memorize him all over again.
They had not seen each other for more than a year. The moment she returned to Crestwood, the first person she wanted to contact had been him. She had imagined that reunion countless times during sleepless nights, replaying conversations that never happened, rehearsing smiles she never got to show. Coming back as a teacher had not been an accident either. She had fought her family relentlessly for the chance to return, disguising her true reason behind career ambitions and practical excuses.
The truth was far simpler, and far more dangerous.
She wanted to be close to him.
