Chapter 14

• JESSIE
• Tamara’s soft, even breathing filled the quiet room, a comforting rhythm that usually lulled me into a peaceful slumber. Tonight, however, it served as a stark reminder of the chasm that had grown between us, a chasm carved out by secrets and unspoken desires. I lay beside her, her familiar scent of lavender and vanilla filling my senses, a wave of guilt washing over me. She was so close, yet so far, her trust in me a fragile thing that I held in my hands, knowing it could shatter at any moment.
• I watched her, her face relaxed in sleep, her expression innocent and untroubled. She looked so peaceful, so unaware of the turmoil raging within me, the internal battle that threatened to tear me apart. The weight of our secret, the shared intimacy with Olivia and Cal, pressed down on me, a heavy burden that made it hard to breathe.