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“Gabriel.” His full name left my mouth. “Let me go.”

His breath hitched. I only used that name when I was angry with him. And I had been angry for years.

He let me go and I wasted no time going back to my apartment and slamming the door.

My eyes went to the wall I shared with the next unit and I had to pull them away.

I was so angry I could scream. I wanted to cry and hit something.

Mainly Gabriel.

Mike was a great sheriff, but he promised one day he would break and actually get me in trouble for the shenanigans I got into. I didn’t have any doubt that murdering Gabriel would get me put in jail.

Despite the odds, I knew the people here would care about him. They’d asked how he was doing more times than I could count, as if I would ever know.

I grabbed my phone and dialed a number. Jackie picked up on the second ring.

“Honey, I heard what happened. Are you okay?”

My voice was level and I wiped away a tear. “I am. I actually wanted to schedule a hair appointment.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s time for a refresh.”

“You look good,” Jackie said when I walked in. “Way better than I . . . You know what? Never mind.”

I gritted my teeth for a second before I smiled. “It was years ago. If anyone’s worried, it’s him. He looks worried, right?”

Jackie shrugged. “No one’s seen him after the day his kids terrorized the square.”

“What?”

“Yeah. He’s hiding out at home with his kids.” She huffed out a laugh and shook his head. “Gabriel with kids. Who would’ve thought.”

My throat felt thick, but I tried to push past it.

I couldn’t. Jackie eyed me in the mirror. A tight smile made its way to her face and she took pity on me.

“So, you’re here to get your dye redone. What were you thinking?”

“Purple this time.”

She paused and I tensed. I wondered if she remembered what purple meant to Gabriel and me.

If she did, she didn’t call me out on it.

“That color always looks so good on you.” She wrapped the cape around me. “You’ll look great.”

“Thank you.”

She stepped away to get the dye and I collected myself. As much as I was determined not to let my anger show, I had another reason for coming here specifically.

“So,” I asked when she was back. “How’ve things been?”

“You’re asking me? Aren’t you the one with the more interesting things going on?”

“I’ve got all of that handled.”