I scrambled off his lap with such frantic energy that my legs tangled, nearly sending me face-first onto the cold floor. My heart wasn't just beating; it was thumping against my ribs like a trapped drum, the sound echoing loudly in my ears. I didn't dare look back. Instead, I pivoted and began marching toward the door as fast as my trembling feet would carry me. Every instinct I had screamed at me to run, to find a dark corner, and to hide under my bed until the world made sense again.
"No."
His voice didn't just carry; it boomed, filling every empty corner of the quiet room with a heavy, deep vibration. "I didn't mean for you to leave."
The command hit me like a physical wall. I froze mid-step, my back still turned to him, too terrified to even draw a full breath. Behind me, I heard th
