Nicholas’s POV
The park was a cacophony of distant laughter, rustling leaves, and the faint hum of traffic from the nearby streets. I had planned to walk, clear my head, and let the crisp autumn air cut through the tension that clung to me like a second skin.
Norman prowled at the edges, restless, keyed into the shifting rhythms of the city, always alert.
I wasn’t expecting a small child to collide with me.
“Oops! I’m sorry!” a tiny voice squeaked.
I looked down and froze. A little girl, no more than six with light brown hair in soft waves, eyes wide and hazel, stared back at me. She seemed startled, but not frightened. She was curious, hesitant, and familiar in a way that made my chest tighten.
“Are you okay?” I asked automatically, lowering to her level, my voice
