spanng="EN"Analise’s POV

    spanng="EN"Gwen was intentionally trying to push them into disrupting the court again. She was tired of them picketing outside our business, costing us revenue. Their lies were affecting our bottom line, and we had both had enough of them. They both looked like they had sucked on lemons. It was killing them not to respond, but their attorney was looking at them both, almost daring them to engage. They saw what happened to Regina, and they didn’t want it to happen to them. It won’t stop it from happening. Things are far from over for them. “Objection, your honor. Ms. Simpson is clearly trying to nder and incite my clients. She’s clearly trying to get them in trouble. But just like my client can’t prove that she made the designs in question, neither can Ms. Simpson,” their attorney stated. Oh, he is so wrong, and he’s about to find that out very quickly.

    spanng="EN"“That’s actually not true. I can prove that they belong to Ana. I can do it by using your own evidence against you,” Gwen replied before the judge could rule.

    Leo and Cara returned to the bench, each of them holding two dripping bottles of cold water. I could’ve cried at the sight of it alone.

    Cara tossed me one with a grin. “Here, you need this more than I do,” she said as she sank down beside me again, a sheen of sweat glistening on her own forehead, though she still managed to look breezy in her lc tee and easy confidence.

    I caught the bottle mid–air and twisted the cap off quickly, taking a greedy gulp. The coolness hit my tongue and traveled down my throat like salvation.

    “You’re a saint,” I muttered, sighing to show my relief.

    “I try,” she winked, nudging me lightly.

    I shifted slightly, still pinned tightly under Coban’s arm, his grip not loosening in the slightest since Cara and Leo had left.

    My side was practically merging in to his now. Every breath I took pressed my ribcage up against the wall of his chest, and I could feel the heat from him more than the sun itself.

    He hadn’t said another word since the others had walked off – just sat there, watching, brooding, his fingers curled possessively at my hipbone like I might try to run from him.

    I wasn’t sure if I found it reassuring or suffocating. Maybe both. Probably both.

    Leo took a long drink from his bottle before settling back into a slouched position, one ankle propped on his knee, arm resting along the back of the bench behind Cara. His eyes flitted between all of us, and I could tell he was amused by the shift in dynamics, especially Coban’s intense im on me.

    “I hope you two will be passing over good things about the pair of us tomorrow at the first report,” he said lightly, shing that cheeky grin that always seemed toe easy to him. “Don’t go breaking our hearts with some tragic stories, alright?”

    I felt Coban’s body stiffen beside me before his gaze shifted down to mine. I didn’t dare to look up, but I could feel the weight of his stare burning into me, sharp as a de.

    Cara, oblivious or maybe just unbothered, beamed.

    “Always!” she chimed, practically glowing. “I’ll make you sound like a gentleman, Leo. You’ll be reformed in no time.”

    Leoughed, pleased, and leaned over to kiss her cheek dramatically. Cara flushed a little but didn’t move away.

    I hesitated at the sight…

    They seemed to be moving fast… and now I knew that Cara had even been considering sleeping with him…. I just hoped that she knew what she was getting herself in to.

    “What about you, Be? Passing over good things about my brother Santo too hmm?” Leo hums, involving me more than what I had liked to be in his little conversation.

    My mouth opened automatically, and I answered before I could stop myself.

    “Of course…” I said.

    But my tone betrayed me.

    The words came out too soft, too unsure, and immediately I knew it didn’tnd the way I had meant for it to.

    Coban’s fingers twitched at my side. Just a small movement. But I felt it. Like an unspoken warning. I nced up nervously at him, already knowing I hadn’t sounded convincing.

    His jaw was tight. Eyes cold. Watching me like I’d just admitted that I nned to betray him in front of the entire yard…

    I swallowed. “I didn’t mean for it to sound so…” I started to exin, but stopped myself.

    Backpedaling would only make it worse.

    It was the tone he didn’t like. Not the words I’d said.

    I quickly looked down at the bottle in my hands, twisting the cap back and forth even though it was already open.

    Cara, sensing the shift in the air, cleared her throat. “It’s crazy how fast this week has gone in, isn’t it?” she tried, attempting to steer the conversation away from the awkward turn. “Feels like we’ve been in here forever with you guys!”

    “Time flies when you’re living with a psychopath,” Leo joked, motioning between himself and Coban, Coban didn’tugh.

    He just stared ahead, unreadable. Thinking. Always thinking.

    Leo raised an eyebrow. “I’m kidding, Santo. Don’t go stabbing me with your mind now…”

    Finally, Coban spoke. His voice was low. Measured. Dangerous.

    “If I could stab you with an actual object, then I’d prefer that.” Coban retorts dryly, announcing his mood to the rest of us.

    Leo whistled under his breath and turned to Cara. “See? Always so charming…”

    She giggled nervously, unsure of what to do or say, but I didn’t dare tough.

    I stayed entirely silent, the bottle now slick in my hands from my sweaty grip.

    I didn’t know what Coban was thinking or what he nned for me next.

    That was the worst part.

    After everything that had happened in thest twenty–four hours, I thought we might’ve been making progress. But clearly, one unsure word from my mouth could still flip a switch in him.

    I nced up again, cautiously. His eyes met mine this time. Steady. Direct.

    He didn’t blink.

    I offered a small smile as a peace offering, weak, but genuine, hoping to soften whatever storm might be stirring behind that stare.

    After a moment, he finally looked away, exhaling out through his nose.

    But he didn’t let go of me, not yet.

    In fact, his hand moved slightly, fingers spreading across the small of my back now, pressing firmer, like he wanted to remind me he was still in control of me. Like he wanted everyone else to see that too.

    I shifted subtly, leaning a little more into him. Not because I wanted to. But because I needed to, needed him to believe I understood the line I was walking on. That I didn’t mean to upset or offend him all of the time.

    Because I really didn’t.

    He was tricky to navigate, and I had tried my best all week, despite being a major fail at it so far.

    I was trying.

    Leo and Cara continued chatting, their conversation drifting toward something lighter, music, I think, or some artist Cara used to like growing up as Leo mocked her for it.

    I didn’t follow much of it…

    I was too busy watching the shadows shift across Coban’s face. Waiting to see if he’d speak to me again. Waiting to see what version of him I’d be walking back to the cell with.

    Waiting to see if tomorrow’s report would be our first step toward peace…

    “Come on, let’s go back in.” He suddenly announced, his cheeks slightly rosy now from the sun.

    I was grateful, just as I was beginning to feel my own shoulders burn, before he stood, turning to stop me from standing up with him…

    “Jumper.” He snapped out one word, as I sighed and reluctantly pulled the thick material back on top of my sweat coated skin all the while he shielded me from view.

    The way it stuck to me turned my stomach, as I felt like the world’s biggest idiot…

    Next time, I’ll wear the damn tee!“That’s right…” I murmured, pushing off the wall and taking a slow step forward. “And I’m the only one allowed to see any extra skin on you, aren’t I?”

    Her lips parted, breath catching as her eyes flicked down and then back up.

    I saw the understanding dawn there.

    Control. Ownership. That’s what I was reminding her of.

    Everything she does in here belongs to me.

    I stepped closer, slow, letting the silence stretch. She backed up a little on instinct maybe, until the backs of her legs touched the edge of the bed.

    I reached out, dragged my fingers lightly along the edge of her shoulder where her skin had turned the darkest pink.

    She sucked in a breath.

    “You were burning…” I muttered, mostly to myself. “And so I brought you back inside.” I told her, expecting a thank you of some kind, but none came.

    “I’m still d you said I could take it off,” she whispered, clearly not regretting the burns in the slightest over cooking herself alive in the zipper.

    My gaze snapped down to hers, my height always towering over her petite frame…

    “I say a lot of things,” I said darkly. “You’re supposed to figure out which ones I mean and which ones I don’t.”

    –

    The thick, grey material clung to my back already, trapping heat like a cage around me, and I resisted the urge to tug at the hem.

    I kept my arms down, nervous, even as my skin began to prickle with sweat. I should have worn the T–shirt like Cara.

    Smart girl.

    I thought, as we approached them on the benches.

    Cara spotted me tugging gently at the cor and smiled knowingly. “You’re going to boil in that,” she said lightly as she and Leo sat a little closer than what they usually did before.

    She wore a soft lc tee shirt with sleeves that ended mid–bicep, and even that looked hot, but at least she could breathe.

    I envied her immediately.

    Coban didn’t say much as we joined them, already sitting down and bing wrapped up in some quiet conversation with Leo.

    Something about a fight that broke out in the gym that morning from what I could hear. I could barely concentrate, my thoughts too focused on the way the sweatshirt felt like it was suffocating me one sticky second at a time.

    I shifted my weight from foot to foot, unsure whether I was allowed to speak yet, Coban hadn’t said anything since we left the cell, hadn’t even looked at me twice, I think he was still ying it cool after the whole notebook ordeal, like his approval had tost for exactly one hour before he went back to treating me like a misbehaving pet.

    I watched Coban peel off his own tee–shirt, his bare torso weing the sun to top up his natural tan…

    I was instantly jealous.

    I couldn’t take it anymore.

    “Coban,” I murmured, turning to him, tugging gently at the sleeve of his shirt to gain his full attention. “Mind if I take this off? It’s really hot.” I whisper, embarrassed that I even had to ask in front of the others…

    His eyes snapped down to me instantly. Cold. Sharp. Unforgiving.

    “No, should’ve thought about that inside!” he said tly.

    I blinked. My stomach turned. But I tried again.

    “But I’ve got the vest on today,” I said quickly, my voice rising slightly in pitch. “I made sure, just like you said no sports bra I promise.”

    –

    He stared at me. Calcting.

    Then, “Still not enough coverage. No.”