But Susie''s mom was missing, and she hadn''t known Hull for long.


    She knew Hull had feelings for her, but honestly, after such a short time... who could say if any of it was for real?


    Susanna hesitated. "Uh... what are you talking about?"


    Her mind had been a mess for weeks, just sort of drifting along wherever Hull''s ns led.


    Now, hearing Ste''s question, Susanna waspletely thrown.


    Ste pressed, "What do you mean, what? I''m asking—has anyone from the Murray family given you a hard time? Did they hurt you?"


    "I—I haven''t even been around the Murray family people," Susanna stammered.


    The Murray family? She''d actually been itching to give them a piece of her mindtely.


    But, well..... Hull had told her not to get involved.


    Plus, Hull''s friend Barnaby was always raining on her parade, telling her that whatever tough-girl skills she''d picked up with Yvonne were nothingpared to what the Murrays could do.


    Thinking about it, he was probably right.


    The Murray family''s ck Gate was infamous in Litamark—a terrifying organization if there ever was one.


    Those people grew up in danger; Susanna had only been with Yvonne for, what, three weeks? Noparison.


    But now Ste''s line of questioning... what was she getting at?


    "You haven''t been with the Murray family?" Ste''s jaw dropped.


    If not them, then where had Susanna been all this time?


    Susanna shook her head. "Nope."


    "So you mean my sister wasn''t the one who found you?"


    "Yvonne''s looking for me?" Susanna blinked, genuinely confused.


    Ste just stared at her. The whole world seemed to crack for a second.


    Something was off-Ste could feel it—but she just couldn''t piece it together.


    Susanna muttered, "I called you a


    bunch


    e


    of times, but your brother


    always picked up Finally, answered this time content. belongs to s


    "You called me?" Ste was floored, even more confused now.


    Her brain was a scrambled mess of question marks and exmation points.


    "I did! Your brother never told you?" Susanna asked, puzzled.


    Ste was speechless.


    No. He hadn''t said a word. Not so much as a ''by the way.''


    Wait, what the heck was going on?


    "So where have you even been?" Ste finally blurted out, frustration rising.


    "I''ve been with Hull the whole time. Didn''t you know that?" Susanna replied, as if it were obvious.


    Ste stared. “No! Clearly, I had no idea."


    Susanna had been with Hull all this time. She''d even called Ste, but Ronald had picked up.


    So Ronald definitely knew Susanna was with Hull.


    Oh my god...


    Meanwhile, Yvonne was tearing up Litamark with Dan, convinced Dan had kidnapped Susanna.


    "Wait-so you left my sister''s ce


    and went straight to Hull? He picket


    you up? Ste asked, her voice hollow with disbelief content belongs to s


    "Yeah," Susanna nodded. "Hull came to get me."


    Ste''s mind reeled.<fn7ec5> Readplete version only at find[?]ovel</fn7ec5>


    Hull had picked up Susanna right from Yvonne''s, and Yvonne didn''t even know? She''d been at war with Dan for days thinking he''d snatched Susanna away.  s


    Oh boy.