~TESSA~
The scent of bacon and brewed coffee drifted up the stairs before I even opened the door.
Down below, I could hear laughter — rough and easy, the sound of men who lived too fast and slept too little.
The kind of sound that somehow made me feel safe now.
I took one last glance in the mirror. The cream sundress Ryder had picked fit me perfectly... soft at the waist, falling just above the knee.
I’d left my hair loose, waves brushing my shoulders.
I didn’t wear much makeup, just... something simple.
Enough to feel alive again.
As I started down the stairs, voices quieted.
It was slow — one step, then another — the kind of descent that made you feel eyes on you.
My heartbeat matched the rhythm of my heels.
Halfway down, I caught Ryder’s gaze.
He was sitting at the long wo
