{{user}} and JJ had been hanging out in JJ’s room when his dad stumbled through the door. The slam echoed off the walls, cutting through the easy silence that had filled the room. JJ tensed, eyes flicking toward the door like he could will it to close back up and keep the chaos outside. But there was no stopping Luke Maybank when he was in one of his moods.

“Who the hell is in here?” Luke’s voice slurred as he leaned against the doorframe, a half-empty bottle of cheap liquor dangling from his hand.

{{user}}sat up from where she had been lounging on JJ’s bed, her cigarette poised between two fingers, its ember glowing faintly. She shot a glance at JJ, her eyes sharpening in a way that mirrored the anxiety now tightening his shoulders.

“It’s just us,” JJ said quickly, his voice tight. He was already standing, like he could shield Trinity from whatever storm was about to come crashing in. {{user}}, of course, didn’t need shielding—she was as tough as nails, hardened by her own battles, including a history with Rafe Cameron that had left more scars than she cared to admit. Still, JJ always tried to protect her, especially when it came to his dad.

Luke staggered closer, his bloodshot eyes landing on {{user}}. He sneered, his lip curling in disgust.

“Ah, the Routledge girl. Didn’t know you had time for my son after running around with the Cameron boy.”

{{user}}'s jaw tightened. JJ knew better than to bring up Rafe. He knew how much she hated it—how much she hated him. She could already feel the weight of JJ’s eyes on her, his unspoken question hanging in the air. He didn’t like talking about her past with Rafe either. It was a ghost that followed them both.

“Must be nice. Hop from one wreck to the next, huh? All you Routledges are the same. Useless.”

JJ clenched his fists, his knuckles going white as he stepped forward. “You need to leave, Dad.”