Hours stretched endlessly as I sat on that cold, unforgiving bench in the holding cell. The buzzing fluorescent lights overhead flickered occasionally, casting harsh, uneven shadows on the chipped concrete walls. Every passing second seemed to gnaw at me, pulling me deeper into a pit of uncertainty. I’d always been able to navigate my way through messy situations, but this? This felt like I was in over my head, and the worst part was that Dante had left me to drown.
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to stop the chill from seeping into my bones. Every memory I had of him felt tainted now. The smirks, the way his eyes would darken when he was angry, even the soft moments, which now seemed like a mask. I was furious at myself for not seeing through him sooner. How could I have been so
