Chapter 5 The Weight of His Silence*

Carmello hadn't texted all day.

Ariana told herself not to care. She told herself it didn't matter. That he was just a distraction. But the truth sat heavy on her chest - just like the way he'd looked at her the night before, like she was the first honest thing he'd seen in years.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone, when *Mya* walked in, holding her laptop.

"I figured it out," Mya said, breathless. "Where I heard Carmello's name before."

Ariana looked up fast. "And?"

"He used to run with this crew downtown. Not gang stuff, but close. Some kind of underground business - high stakes, big money, no rules."

Ariana's heart skipped. "What kind of business?"

"Something went wrong. Real wrong. A guy disappeared. Carmello vanished soon after." Mya paused. "I think he's trying to leave it behind... but people like that don't always get to."

Before Ariana could reply, her phone buzzed.

*Carmello*: *Can we talk? Not over text.*

She met him in the same café they'd first spoken. He was already there, hands clasped, eyes tired.

"You okay?" she asked, sliding into the seat.

"I need to tell you something," he said. "But if I do, you might walk away."

"I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly.

Carmello hesitated. "I've hurt people. Not by choice-but it happened. And now someone from back then... they're watching me. And they know about *you*."

A chill ran down her spine.

"You mean Austin?" she asked.

Carmello froze. "What about Austin?"

Ariana leaned forward. "He's not just my ex. He's connected to your past. Isn't he?"

The look on Carmello's face said everything.

The danger wasn't just behind them.

It had already found them both.

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