Chapter 13. First Fight

**Rae:**

Eliza and I sit cross-legged on the living room floor, a mess of open laptops, empty coffee mugs, and snack wrappers between us.

The night’s heavy outside.

The world feels like it’s holding its breath.

We don't talk much.

Just click. Scroll. Search.

Trying to find something—

Someone—

That can pull me out of this mess.

"I found one," Eliza says, jabbing the screen. "Specializes in criminal defense. Five-star reviews."

I lean over to look.

The guy’s smile is too polished.

Too perfect.

I shake my head. "He looks like he’ll ditch the second someone waves a dollar at him."

Eliza sighs, clicking back to the search page.

We sit in silence for a minute, both pretending the walls aren’t closing in.

Then she straightens, snapping her fingers.

"Wait. Jim."

I blink at her.

"Jim?"

"Yeah. Jim Connelly. Remember? My lawyer back in college?"

My m