Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

""Where did you bury that urn?"

The question blindsided me.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to bring up old stuff," he murmured.

He shifted, clearly struggling, like he wanted to get closer. I leaned in, bringing my ear near him. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight of his words hit me hard.

"Listen carefully. That urn has a data sync device inside. My phone's synced to it. There's... a lot of critical info in there. If anything ever happens to me, take the device and give it to the authorities."

I froze. The urn... it had been hiding something this huge all along?

It was Yara who gave it to me. Did she know about this, too?

The thought of her made my stomach twist a little. "Why not have Yara deal with this instead of me?" I blurted.

Hayden let out a quiet laugh. "You're jealous right now? Really?"

I huffed, but he kept going. "She and I are just comrades. Nothing romantic, I swear. And besides..."

He took a shaky breath before continuing, "She doesn't know what's inside. She handled the ashes, sure, but that's it."

I frowned. "Then how did you even get the device in there?"

He smirked faintly. "What do you think?"

to figure it out. "You messed with the urn before

girl-so sharp," he said with

way he said it so natural, so familiar-was the confirmation I'd been waiting for. He was admitting it.

faint tang of blood, I froze, guilt washing over me. Instead, I pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and stayed quiet. The ambulance

supposed to reassure me, but all it did was make the knot in

of sight, 1 grated my hand dialed

best I cut him

you, wasn't

voice was all fake

ambushed and beaten. Don't even try to tell me this

a beat before he finally said, "You think I'd

do you think?"

But Xander? I'm grateful to him. He stopped me from doing something I'd regret forever. Why would I want

all calm and reasonable, which honestly made me even madder. He apologizing and acting like he had zero beef with

I stayed quiet.

Wayne finally asked,

the hospital. Emergency

he... seriously hurt?" He still

think I'm weak" plan, I decided to lean in. "Wayne, if

another word, staring

Like that was even possible. He'd bled

worse, until-boom-Wayne and Cole showed up. Like, one after the other, both standing in