They sat on the couch. Serena talked. About safety. About locks. About how Lanry was dangerous and unstable and obsessed. About how men like him never let go.
Maylen nodded at the right places.
Later, when Serena excused herself to the bathroom, Maylen slipped her phone from beneath the cushion and texted Aiden.
She’s here.
The reply came immediately.
We’re live.
Maylen’s heart hammered.
Serena emerged, smiling too brightly. “I’ll stay tonight,” she said. “Just in case.”
Maylen forced relief onto her face. “Thank you.”
They lay in the dark, the city breathing outside. Serena fell asleep quickly. Maylen did not.
She stared at the ceiling and listened.
At two seventeen a.m., she heard it.
A soft click from above.
Her breath caught.
She didn’t move. Didn’t react. Just let fear b
