Chapter 1: Introduction
The apartment smelled like vanilla and sin—Kari’s signature perfume, something expensive with a name Teal couldn’t pronounce. He shuffled into the bedroom in his favorite pajamas, the ones with little cartoon sharks that had faded to a sad, watery blue after too many washes. The fabric was soft against his skin, but the way it clung to his hips made him feel exposed, like he was already half-undressed for something he wasn’t sure he wanted.
Kari was perched on the edge of her vanity, her back straight, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall of ink.