The door slammed shut, and the echoes of the fight still seemed to hang in the air long after David’s shouting had faded down the hall. Elise stood motionless, staring at the faint smear of blood on the floor where David had stood. Jaxon had gone quiet, hands trembling slightly as he looked at his knuckles—split and red. The silence between them was heavier than any words.
He finally muttered, “I’ll go clean up.”
She nodded, unable to speak.
Without another word, he left, closing the door softly behind him. Elise pressed her back against the wall, her heart thudding in her ears. The apartment was a mess—coffee spilled, a chair knocked over, the air thick with the scent of adrenaline and rain. She sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands.
Her phone buzzed again.
She didn’t lo
