The backup generator hummed to life, casting my penthouse in a dim, eerie glow. I clutched the baseball bat tighter, my heart hammering against my ribs as I strained to hear any sound beyond my own ragged breathing.
"Aria!"
I nearly swung as Kade appeared in the doorway, his silhouette illuminated by the flashlight on his phone. Relief flooded through me, though my muscles remained tense.
"What happened?" His voice was steady, concerned.
"I thought there was someone—" I lowered the bat slowly, scanning the shadows. "The security system went down completely."
Kade moved past me, checking windows and doors with practiced efficiency. "Power outage affected the whole building. Backup systems should have kicked in immediately."
"They didn't," I said, my voice hardening. "Someone tampered
