Page 269 of Bitter’s Sweet

The next two days are the longest of my life.

CSI finishes documenting the old concrete plant, and Hyde follows through on his order. The access road is closed, the dangerous opening is sealed, and the murder hole comes off every festival map. Nobody's wandering out there to take pictures anymore.

Sweet stays in the funeral home guest room. She goes back to school the morning after Razor dies.

I do not tell her not to. I do not assign myself to her. I do not stand outside the classroom pretending I am security because I cannot handle distance.

Hyde assigns actual security.

Two prospects rotate the hallway. Nevermore handles the school-side lot. CSI changes every code in the funeral home, garage, clubhouse, and my apartment. He locks the camera system down so hard Boogie complains he needs a retinal scan to use the bathroom.

The apartment breach remains open.

Razor's phones confirm Ravenfork had somebody feeding them access, but not enough survives to tell us who. Hyde keeps that investigation tight.

For once, I do not use club trouble as an excuse to get close to Sweet.

I do my job.

Then I leave her alone.

It is fucking miserable.

The first morning, I make coffee and, out of habit, pour two cups.

I stare at the second one until it goes cold.

Eventually, I carry it downstairs and find Mercy.

“For Sweet.”

Mercy looks at the cup, then at me.

“Did she ask for coffee?”

I grind my teeth. “No.”

“Then drink it yourself.”

“I hate you.”

“I’m comfortable with that.”

She walks away.

I drink both cups and spend half the morning vibrating.

That afternoon, Sweet passes me near the old viewing room carrying a tray of restoration tools.

Pink shoes. Black school apron. Hair twisted up. Bruise fading along her cheek.

She stops.

So do I.

Every part of my body wants to go toward her.

I stay where I am.