I raced up the stairs as though hell itself was hot on my heels, but in this case, one man was enough to instill that level of terror. My heart pounded furiously, every beat slamming against my rib cage, my body trembling from a mix of cold and the lingering ache of panic. I crashed through the front door, the sudden warmth inside the house hitting me like a wall, but it did nothing to slow my frantic pace. My feet skidded on the entryway tiles, nearly sending me sprawling face first into the floor.
“Toilet rush? A or B?” Clarisa’s teasing voice floated from somewhere deeper in the house. She always knew how to poke fun. “And hey, what’re you doing back so early?”
I didn’t answer. My boots and umbrella fell from my hands with a dull thunk as I fumbled with the bolt, slamming it into plac
