Chapter 140

Ramon POV

Lake looked at Rhodes with panic in his eyes, clearly unsure how to answer.

“Sometimes when we hit our heads really hard,” Rhodes said carefully, “our brains protect us by not remembering the scary parts. It’s okay not to remember right now, Ollie. Your memories might come back later, or they might not. But either way, you’re safe now. That’s what matters.”

“Did someone hit me?” Ollie asked, his hand coming up to touch the bandage on his head. “Is that why it hurts?”

“Yes,” Lake said quietly, and I could see how much it cost him to admit this. “Someone hurt you, baby. But they can’t hurt you anymore. And you’re getting better. The doctors fixed you up, and every day you’re going to feel a little bit better.”

Ollie was quiet for a moment, processing this. Then: “Was it the bad grandfather? Did he hit me?”

Lake’s whole body tensed. “You remember Samuel?”

“I remember—” Ollie’s face scrunched up in concentration. “I remember bei