Outside, waves crashed against the shore. Inside, a father kept vigil. Fury had ignited into purpose. Tomorrow would begin accountability. For Talia. For Fiona, if complicit. For every silent witness to Reese’s suffering.
But tonight, there was only this. A man. His son. A fragile heartbeat of trust being rebuilt in the dark.
Calvin leaned down and kissed Reese’s forehead. “You are safe,” he whispered. “I will stay. Always.”
In the quiet hum of the sleeping house, the promise felt like the first real truth he had spoken in years.
