I couldn’t stop hearing it.
Don’t lock your door. Your first punishment starts tonight.
The words stayed in my head the whole way home. I barely registered the drive. By the time I walked into the house my stomach was tight and my hands wouldn’t stay still. Dinner was already on the table. My mother looked up when I sat down.
“How was the test?” she asked.
“Fine,” I said.
Kai glanced at me but didn’t speak. My mother started talking about something else—work, the house, a dinner she wanted to host. I nodded when it seemed necessary and kept my eyes on my plate. Every few minutes I checked the time. Julian still wasn’t home. The longer he stayed gone, the worse the waiting got. I kept thinking about the cheat sheet in his hand. About the way he’d looked at me when he told me not to loc
