The city lights blurred into streaks of white and gold as I sat in the back of the cab, my hands clutching my bag so tightly the leather dug into my palms. Marco’s words still echoed inside me, cold and merciless. Make yourself valuable… or prepare to burn.
By the time the cab pulled up in front of my house, my legs felt numb. I paid the driver, stepped out, and forced my spine straight. On the outside, I had to look composed. On the inside, I was unraveling.
The front door swung open before I even reached it. Liam stood there, arms folded across his chest, jaw tight, eyes burning with the kind of frustration I wasn’t ready to face.
“Where were you?” His voice wasn’t loud, but sharp, each word cutting like glass.
I brushed past him, slipping out of my heels as I entered. “Not now, Liam
