I stood outside the shower, impatient for the water to heat up. Steam began to fill the bathroom after only a few seconds, and that annoyed me. Another reminder of Kael—Mr. Fucking Handyman. Fuck the shower. The water was warm and the pressure luxurious, and I decided to take the longest shower I could. I applied a conditioning mask to my hair and shaved my legs. Holding the razor made me think of Kael in front of my mirror and how often he had to shave due to regulations. How hard was it going to be to untangle him completely from my memories? I closed my eyes and let the water spray directly onto my face. I asked the universe, but since it felt like no one was listening anyway, I answered my own question. It would be as easy as throwing away his toothpaste and never going near post until he was gone. I was done breaking my own rules and would just focus on my job and getting my shit together. I didn’t have the time or energy for chasing liars in ACUs around, and this was the end of it.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

The shower had helped me feel relaxed enough to take a nap. Sleeping the day away made me feel better, but I still looked like hell. I had fallen asleep with wet hair and, even though the color was more flattering than I had expected, I woke to a frizzy mess; the way I looked now went right along with the mania I felt. I threw on black sweats and a baggy black T-shirt and pinched my cheeks to bring a little color to the surface.

I heard Elodie’s voice as soon as I stepped into the hallway. If her shift was already over, I must have been asleep for a long time. It sounded like she was hushing someone in conversation, but when I peered around the corner, she was alone in the dark living room with her laptop on her lap. A man’s voice was coming through the speaker.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said in an accusatory tone.

I thought I heard him wrong, but he said it again. This time his words seemed even more demeaning. I didn’t want to intrude, but I was concerned for Elodie.

“Cooper’s wife told me that you were over there. His wife tells him everything, unlike mine.”

Phillip? Shit.

Elodie was crying. I had to hold on to the door handle of the hallway closet to stop myself from butting into the conversation and her business. I didn’t know what Phillip was talking about, but I knew I didn’t like the sound of his voice. I had never seen that side of him or heard it. I couldn’t tell if his wife was used to it or not. I immediately wondered if Phillip was, like Kael, not what he seemed.