Hailey’s POV
Roy’s words were still settling into me when the door opened again.
No knock.
Just the quiet, deliberate turn of the handle.
My body stiffened instantly.
Roy felt it. His arm tightened around me, protective, instinctive. I knew who it was before I even looked.
Ryan.
He stepped inside like he owned the room, like nothing in here could touch him. His gaze flicked briefly to me curled against Roy’s chest, then lingered there a second too long—cold, unreadable—before shifting away.
“What are you doing?” he asked flatly.
Roy didn’t move. “Comforting her.”
Ryan scoffed under his breath. “Of course you are.”
The air changed. Thickened. I could feel it pressing against my skin.
Ryan’s eyes dropped to the phone still lying on the bed. The screen had gone dark, but he knew.
