- Blake West:
Aunt Lily's house smelled like cinnamon and something earthy, like old wooden floors and lavender detergent. It was small, warm, and bright—alive in a way that made it hard to believe the outside world was full of people like Zade's mom. Here, I wasn't someone to be fixed, pitied, or shaped into someone else's mold. I was just... Blake. And it felt so damn good.
Larkin had stuck to me like glue since the moment Zade left me in Lily's care. Maybe it was his natural charm, or maybe he just had one of those personalities that slipped under your skin quickly. In a matter of hours, we'd built a rhythm. He was the kind of guy who made you forget you were new to a place. Easy to laugh with. Loud in the best kind of way. He treated me like an old friend, not like someone to tiptoe around.
