Page 66

“I want to show you something first,” he tells me.

We walk upstairs, passing by Akira and Broc comfortably on the couch watching a movie.

Hoyt’s bedroom is bigger than mine, with an entire glass wall overlooking the water. The slanted ceiling with its wooden beams makes the room look very tall. A thick rug frames the floor underneath a giant and comfortable-looking bed.

“Here,” Hoyt gestures for me to sit next to him. He hands me a small wooden box.

“Your brother’s prism,” I say as I look inside. “Should I... Can I?”

“I think so, I never feel anything when I touch it. It’s like it... died with my brother. Never saw a light in it again, even after I put it on, wetted it... nothing.”

“You tried wetting it?”

“I was angry that it did that to my brother, I wanted to understand.”

The rectangular prism is held by a silver chain. I slide the bracelet on my arm, and like Hoyt,I feel nothing.

“I’m sorry about your brother, it’s horrible... what happened to him.”

“I wish I had reached for his prism instead of this one,” he says, holding his necklace.

I want to hold him, kiss him, take away his pain. However, all I can say is, “Maybe one day we will get answers.”

I close the box and go to sleep,in my own room.

I wake up to see a text from Hoyt:Coffee is fresh, I’m at the gym, come say hi.

I text him after pouring myself a cup.There’s a gym here?

Back door, left after the downstairs bathroom.

I open the door to find Hoyt and Broc lifting weights,shirtless.

“Good morning.” I startle as Akira’s voice comes from the other side; she’s on the treadmill.

“Hey! What are you doing here?”

“Mostly drooling. How did you sleep?” she asks me, slowing down her pace.

“Good, you?” I take another sip of my coffee, trying not to stare at the strong, half-naked men in front of me. I understand now why they look the way they do.

“Great.” She takes a sip of her water bottle.

I watch her. She’s in a great mood.

“Did something…?” I ask.

“Nope,” she says, speeding up again.

Broc is in his own world, doing push-ups in a corner, sweat dripping off his face.

“Goodmorning,” says Hoyt, taking off his headphones.

I smile at him. “Nice gym.”

“It’s handy to have a place to let out some… steam.”

I know what he means. It was hard to walk away from each other last night—from his bedroom,his bed.