RAIDEN’S POV
The house was too quiet. Too empty. Too wrong.
I sat curled up in the corner of my bed, my hands gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles had gone white. The screen glowed in the dim room, the call screen mocking me with the same words over and over again.
Voicemail.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I hit redial. The line rang twice before the robotic voice cut in again.
“The number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the—”
I didn’t wait for the beep.
“Mom,” my voice cracked, raw and trembling, “please pick up. Please come back. Where are you? I—I don’t know what to do. He’s going to find out, and I—” My breath hitched as I wiped my wet cheeks with the back of my sleeve. “Please, just call me back. Please…”
I ended the call and imme
