When Bella didn’t come to class, Mira felt her heart drop.

She kept glancing at the door, waiting for Bella to walk through it. The minutes ticked by. The professor began the lecture.

Bella wasn’t coming.

Mira’s hands trembled. She couldn’t focus on the professor’s words. Couldn’t take notes. Couldn’t think about anything except Bella’s face yesterday—the red eyes, the tear on her cheek, the slap that still stung.

Krystal sat beside her, her posture relaxed. She didn’t try to hide her smile.

She must be crying all night, Krystal thought. Probably passed out in her room. Too embarrassed to show her face.

She pictured Bella curled up in bed, sobbing into her pillow, and felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her. Good. That’s what she deserves!

Mira glanced at Krystal and saw the smile. Her stomach turned.

Karl walked into the classroom a few minutes late, his face hard, his eyes tired. He didn’t look at Mira. Didn’t even glance in her direction. He walked straight to the back of the room, where Lily was sitting alone, and sat down beside her.

Lily looked up, surprised. Karl said something to her, too quiet for Mira to hear. Lily nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Mira’s heart stung.

Karl had been her friend. He had sat beside her every day, walked her to class, helped her with assignments, defended her when Krystal was too harsh. And now he wouldn’t even look at her.

She had lost him.

She had lost Bella.

She had lost everything.

And for what?

Mira looked at Krystal again. Krystal was texting on her phone.

Mira felt sick.

She turned back to the front of the room, but she didn’t hear the lecture. She only heard the echo of Bella’s words: You’re blind. You’re pretending not to see.

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Meanwhile, Bella stood in the living room with her arms crossed, her beautiful brown eyes fixed on Leo with an expressionless face. Her jaw was tight, her posture rigid. She wasn’t going to back down.

Leo sat on the couch, his bandaged arm resting on the armrest, his gray eyes tired but determined. Jay and Jace stood nearby, both still bruised, both still healing. They had been discussing plans for the evening—a lead on the stalker, a bar where he might be, a chance to finally catch him.

Bella had heard enough.

"I said you can’t go," she repeated, her voice calm but firm. "No matter how important this is."

Leo’s jaw tightened. "Bella—"

"Look at you." She gestured at his bandaged arm, his bruised knuckles, the exhaustion etched into his face. "With your injuries, you’ll be putting yourself in danger. You can barely lift your arm. What if something happens? What if—"

"Nothing will happen."

"You don’t know that." Her voice cracked, just slightly. "You never know that."

Leo stood up, wincing slightly as he put weight on his injured side. "I have to go. The person we’re looking for—he was spotted at a bar on the south side. If we don’t move now, we could lose him."

"I don’t care about the stalker." Bella’s voice was sharp. "I care about you."

Jay stepped forward. "Bella, we understand—"

"Do you?" She turned to him, her eyes flashing. "Do you really understand? You’re injured too. All of you are. And you’re talking about going out there, chasing some dangerous man, when you can barely walk?"

Jay opened his mouth, then closed it.

Jace looked at the floor.

Leo took a step toward her, his voice low. "We have to catch him. He’s been watching you. He put a gift in your bag. He could do anything—"

"I don’t care." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don’t care about any of that."

"You should."

"I care about you coming home alive." She looked up at him, her brown eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall. "I’d rather be selfish. I’d rather be annoying. I’d rather keep you here, safe, than let you go out there and—"

She stopped, her throat tight.

Leo reached out and touched her face. "Bella—"

"If you go, I’m going with you." Her voice was steady now, her expression hardening.

Leo’s hand dropped. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because it’s too dangerous."

"It’s dangerous for you too." She crossed her arms. "You can’t go alone. You can’t lead a team in your condition. So either you stay, or I go."

Jay rubbed his temples. "Bella, be reasonable—"

"I am being reasonable." She turned to him. "You need someone to lead the team, right? Someone who can think clearly, who isn’t injured, who knows the situation?"

Jay nodded slowly.

"Then I’ll go."

"No." Leo’s voice was sharp.

"I can do it."

"You’ve never led a team like this."

"There’s a first time for everything."

Leo’s jaw tightened. "You could get hurt."

"So could you." She stepped closer to him, her eyes locked on his. "You’re not the only one who can protect this family. You’re not the only one who can take risks."

Leo stared at her.

Jay and Jace exchanged glances.

"Bella," Jay said carefully, "it’s not that simple. There are protocols, weapons, tactics—"

"I can learn."

"On the job?"

"If I have to." She looked at Leo. "I’m tired of sitting at home, waiting, worrying. I’m tired of being the one who stays behind while you all go out and get hurt."

Leo’s expression softened. "Bunny—"

"Let me do this." Her voice cracked. "Please."

The room fell silent.

Leo looked at Jay. Jay shrugged. Jace shook his head slowly.

Finally, Leo sighed.

"You’re not going alone," he said.

Bella’s eyes lit up. "I won’t. I’ll take some of the guards. Experienced ones."

"You’ll stay in the car."

"If the situation calls for it."

"Bella."

"If the situation calls for it," she repeated, "I’ll do what needs to be done."

Leo stared at her for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"Fine."

Jay’s mouth fell open. "Wait, really?"

"She’s not going to give up." Leo sat back down on the couch, wincing. "And she’s right. We can’t go in our condition."

Jay looked at Bella. "You’re really going to do this?"

Bella nodded. "I’m really going to do this."

Jace sat down heavily. "This is insane."

"This is necessary." Bella picked up her phone. "Now, tell me everything. Where is this bar? What is the whole situation? Who found the lead related to him? And who else is going?"

Jay and Leo exchanged another glance.

Then Jay started talking.

Bella listened, her expression focused, her heart pounding.

She was going to catch her stalker...