So, I was being tracked this whole time.


    But what was his n? Retaliate against me?


    1. 0.


    I gripped my phone tighter, staring at the screen. Bruno hadn’t sent anything else, but his silence


    felt like a threat hanging in the air.


    After a second of debating, I took a screenshot and sent it to Hayden. If Bruno wasing after


    me, and Yuna was here too, whatever mess he started could end up hurting her. Hayden needed to


    know. Even if he didn’t care about me anymore, he couldn’t ignore a risk to his sister.


    In that moment, it felt natural to reach out to Hayden. Maybe it was habit, or maybe, deep down, I


    still trusted him–whether he wanted me or not.


    As soon as I hit send, my phone rang. Hayden.


    I picked up but stayed quiet, waiting. He broke the silence first. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll have


    people watching you.”


    His words hit me with a mix of relief and something warmer, though I tried not to show it.


    “I don’t need your protection,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I just don’t want Yuna getting hurt


    because she’s around me. So don’t me me if something happens to her.”


    He didn’t reply, but he didn’t hang up either. We just sat there, the silence stretching between us.


    Finally, I asked, “Why’s Bruno after me? Is it because of Steve?”


    “Bruno had called me “Snooker Girl” when we met, and the only ce I’d ever yed was at


    Steve’s. Considering all the trouble Steve’s been in–and the fact that I’de all the way here to


    check on him- maybe Bruno thought I was part of that mess too.


    Hayden let out a quiet “Mmhmm.” “Steve’s just their excuse. They’re targeting you to get to me.”


    I froze as it all clicked together. Then, something Jace had hinted at came back to me. “So… is it


    true you’re the one who took down the boss of Quartz Cue?”


    Quartz Cue was more than just a shady cue sports club–it was practically an underworld front.


    Taking down their leader was a huge humiliation, and there was no way they’d let that slide.


    Hayden didn’t exactly confirm it. He just said, “You probably won’t get to see Steve’s match. You


    should head home. As soon as possible.”


    What the hell? Was he serious?


    He was the one who pushed me toe here, and now, barely a day in, he’s telling me to leave?


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    “What kind of game are you ying?” I snapped, totally confused and more than a little pissed.


    “It’s too dangerous now that they’re watching you,” he said, voice low and unshakable,


    My breath tightened. “So… because I’m… or because they think I’m your girlfriend, right?”


    Hayden was silent, neither confirming nor denying. Finally, he said, “Don’t worry. They won’t hurt


    you.


    They’ll just… use you to get to me.”


    His words only made me feel more unsettled. “Hayden, stop dodging. I’m asking one more time: are


    they after me because of what happened with Steve?”


    This time, he didn’t avoid it. “Not entirely.”


    “What does that even mean, ‘not entirely‘?” I waspletely lost.


    “It’splicated. I’ll exinter, if I get the chance.” He paused. “Just… don’t mention any of this


    to Yuna. And… let her hang out with whoever she wants.”


    Thatst part made it obvious he knew all about Yuna’s crush, even though she thought she was


    keeping


    it secret.


    I got it, though. He didn’t want her pulled into any of this. But where did that leave me?


    Sure, he said he’d have people watching me, but I wasn’t naive. I knew I was in real danger.


    Still, all of this started because of Steve. And Steve’s my friend. I can’t me Hayden for any of it.


    Maybe if I hadn’t reached out to him after what happened to Steve, Hayden wouldn’t have gotten


    mixed up with Quartz Cue, and we wouldn’t be in this mess.


    But I didn’t regret it. Clearing Steve’s name was worth whatever trouble came my way.