Gina
I had always imagined danger would feel loud.
Sirens.
Running footsteps.
People shouting.
Instead, it was surprisingly quiet.
One text message.
One sentence.
Do not take the girl home.
No explanation.
No warning beyond that.
Just enough words to make three grown men fall completely silent.
I watched the color drain from Mario’s face as he stared at Zander’s phone. A few seconds ago, he had been yelling at his son in two languages at once. Now he looked… older.
Not physically.
Just tired.
Like someone who had spent years trying to leave one life behind only to discover it had finally caught up with him.
The tiny office suddenly felt much too small.
No one spoke.
Outside the closed door, I could hear dishes clattering in the kitchen and customers laughing in the dining
