Mara
The knock came hard enough to rattle the door.
Heavy and Urgent.
I was halfway through shoving Lily’s lunch into her bag when it happened, my pulse already spiking before my brain caught up. My body knew the sound. Knew the weight behind it.
“s**t,” I muttered, wiping my hands on my jeans.
Lily looked up from the couch. “Mommy.”
“I know,” I said, already moving. “Stay there.”
I didn’t check the peephole.
That was the mistake.
I yanked the door open and there he was, standing too close, leather jacket unzipped, jaw tight like he’d been grinding his teeth all morning. Cole Ryder looked pissed off in a way that set my nerves on fire.
“What the hell are you doing here,” I snapped.
He didn’t answer. Just looked past me, eyes flicking inside the house, assessing exits, space, thr
