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"No," Tristan replied "It’s not I’ll write up nation" He waited for it, waited for the sadness to coht now, losing this didn’t co with their lives falling apart

Money had always been stability to him, but now, that stability lay in Josiah and Mateo He would find another job

Larry shrugged "If that’s what you want"

"Don’t put this on me We both know it’s what you want as well" Tristan stood Right now, the best way to describe his life, their lives, was a tornado, everything twisting and turning and co at them at once Josiah didn’t start that fire They all knew it But he also kne the world worked The right people didn’t always get punished, and the wrong so with the accusations and loss was enough for him

That didn’t count Mateo, and what he would do if it came down to Josiah or Mateo

Still, he traveled back to that day in the elevator, not being able to clai Josiah’s na that those two ht released frohter

"This won’t affect Mateo’s probation in any way They won’t go harder on hi I will protect what’stolike hell he did the right thing

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Mateo

No ot in the past, Mateo always felt like he could reach Josiah The night Jay got attacked, he’d been scared out of his fucking mind, lost, afraid, traumatized; yet Mateo had been able to reach hi, wrapped his body around Mateo’s on the dirty-ass hotel floor, and they’d held each other Grounded each other Anchored each other

Right now, he drifted without the godda with him, but both of theht to guide theht, mi precioso?"

Josiah rolled over fro at hi hole in Teo’s chest Like his heart was

"I know I just don’t understand why Haven’t we been through enough?"