Chapter 28: Chasing Shadows
Merlina paused, her gaze fixed straight ahead. Her arms stayed at her sides, tight, almost rigid. "I told you I wasn’t there for you," she said quietly.
Craig stepped toward her, slow and deliberate. His presence always came with a kind of pressure, like the air shifted when he got too close. "You were there for Conor?"
She turned, her gaze locking onto his, drawn to the green in his eyes even now, when she knew she shouldn’t be. But she didn’t let it sway her. "Yes. I want to know where to find him."
A muscle ticked in his cheek, just slightly, but she caught it. He wasn’t the type to show emotion so easily, which made it worse when he did.
He let out a slow breath and blinked back hard, like he was wrestling something silent. It made her chest tighten in a way she wasn’t ready to admit. "You’re going around asking everyone but me," he said.
She tilted her head, coolness lacing her words. "Would you tell me?"
He didn’t answer. Not a word. His eyes stayed locked on hers, unwavering, and in that silence, the distance between them seemed to stretch endlessly.
She exhaled sharply, a dry scoff escaping her. The sound was meant to deflect, but there was more to it...frustration, disappointment, and something deeper. "I thought so," she muttered, turning away.
But then his voice sliced through the air, sudden and sharp, halting her mid-step.
"You had your intentions from day one, didn’t you?"
Her body froze.