I snatched it up, thumb fumbling against the screen.
"You alone?" Sophia asked.
"Yeah, he left" i gave a fast reply.
Seconds later, the call came through. I answered on the first ring.
"Sophia," i whispered, voice barely there.
"Hey, sis." Her voice was quiet, steady, like she could already hear the shake in mine. "Are you okay?"
I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against my knee where I'd curled into the corner of the bed. "I don't know. It's getting harder."
A pause. I could hear her breathing, slow and controlled.
"He's watching everything. Every move I make, every word I say. It's like I'm… caged. But not even locked in. Just–kept.
"You're doing better than you think," she said, calm but not soft. "You made it through tonight. Did he say anything? Did he mention the conta
