Cody POV
I sat on the edge of the dingy motel bed, my fingers tangled in my hair, eyes bloodshot and wild. The baby’s cries cut through the thin walls, high and relentless, echoing in my skull until it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I hadn’t slept more than snatches in over a day, the world blurring into a haze of panic and exhaustion. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Julia’s face—her fear, her betrayal, her baby now in my arms instead of hers.
Lila moved about the cramped room with forced efficiency, rocking the baby, shushing her in a singsong voice, mixing formula with shaking hands. She tried to keep her voice calm, her movements gentle, but the tension in her jaw betrayed her nerves. “It’s okay, Cody,” she whispered whenever I looked ready to snap. “She just needs to eat. She’s jus
