Sophia checked the dashboard clock again. 8:02 p.m. Her jaw tightened until it hurt. She muttered Bella’s name like a curse, slammed the car into drive, and sped toward Ryan’s house. The streets blurred past. Every red light felt like an insult.
She pulled up hard in front of the two-story home, tires scraping the curb. The engine died with a growl. Sophia didn’t bother locking the car. She marched straight to the front door and shoved it open without knocking.
“Marcus!” she shouted, voice echoing through the hallway. “Marcus, where the hell are you?”
Footsteps thundered down the stairs. Ryan appeared at the bottom, hair messy, shirt half-buttoned like he’d thrown it on in a rush. His eyes widened when he saw her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, moving closer. “Is something happening? Who ar
