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“Oh yeah That looked fake, even to reed even as my pulse sped up

Three teary enlistedthe woain Then ly disorganized as people jostled to greet them I still didn’t see Calder or Derrick, but then the crowd parted slightly and familiar broad shoulders and hazel eyes moved into view

Daotten hoorthy Derrick was? My sto pulse reached Indy-500 levels

“Derrick,” I called out

Beside me, Sabrina clicked away on her phone ca other than Derrick’s face as he spotted me He didn’t smile, but his eyes ide and locked with mine If this had been a ht then, a beautiful crescendo, and I wanted to memorize every note so I could use thisquite like the energy arcing between us

And then his purposeful strides carried hi were even possible, equal parts terror and excitement in his expression Or s shook and my back sweat

I had to s hard sih spit to speak “Welcome home”

Chapter Three

Derrick

Arthur turned out hot That was ht when I spotted him after I heard my name called Derrick My actual name, not Fox, not Chief, and outside of Calder a couple of times, I hadn’t heard that naer and excited and happy On the sub, hearing ht that minute, but the way Arthur said it didn’t inspire dread at all