Chapter 4 Warnings in the Wind*

Ariana stood by her bedroom window, letting the night breeze brush her skin. She hadn't felt this awake in months. Not since *before Austin*.

Her phone lit up again.

*Carmello*: *Got home safe?*

She smiled, thumbs hovering.

*Ariana*: *Yes. You?*

*Carmello*: *Always. Sleep well, beautiful.*

A blush crept up her cheeks. Then her door creaked open.

"Mya?" she whispered.

It was *Autumn*-Carmello's sister. She'd shown up at Ariana's apartment earlier, claiming she wanted to meet the girl her brother was "suddenly serious about."

"I know it's late," Autumn said, stepping inside. "But we need to talk."

Ariana frowned. "What's going on?"

Autumn sat down, eyes sharp. "My brother's not a bad guy. But people don't change overnight. He was in deep before. Real deep."

"In what?" Ariana asked, heart skipping.

Autumn hesitated. "Let's just say... not everything in his past is buried. If someone from that life comes back, it won't be about love. It'll be about leverage."

Ariana felt cold. "So what are you saying? That I'm leverage?"

Autumn didn't answer. She just stood up and said, "Just... don't fall too fast. Carmello's heart might be honest now, but the shadows behind him aren't."

The door clicked shut behind her.

Ariana sat in silence. Her phone buzzed again.

*Austin*: *You're getting too close to something you don't understand.*

She dropped the phone.

Two men. One past.

And something told her... neither was telling the full truth.

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