Rafe POV
The second Tripp walked out, it was like the oxygen went with him.
All that was left was Mikayla—silent, seething—and Leanne, still hanging on to something that should’ve stayed buried years ago.
I could feel Mikayla’s anger from across the room. It was thick, and hot, wrapping around me like smoke I couldn’t breathe through. Even without looking at her, I knew she was seconds away from losing it—and I knew I was the reason.
The guilt crawled up the back of my neck, and for the first time today, I wished I’d stayed outside.
“Rafe, come sit and tell me what you’ve been up to,” Leanne chirped, her voice cutting through the silence like nails on glass.
I fòrced a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. My focus was already on Mikayla—her shoulders relaxed but her eyes were sharp an
