Damien paced the foyer like a caged animal, his bare feet thudding softly against the polished marble floor. His hands moved in sharp, agitated gestures—clenching, then raking through his sweat-dampened hair. His chest rose and fell with each ragged breath, the muscular planes of his torso still slick from training.
Ryleigh remained rooted to the edge of the foyer, her legs numb, her mind hollow with disbelief. She couldn’t process what was happening. Derek—missing. The words echoed over and over in her head, but still felt unreal, like some cruel mistake that would be cleared up with a phone call or a knock at the door.
Damien stopped abruptly and pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his joggers. He pressed a number on speed dial, then brought the phone to his ear. His tone was shar
