Kendra’s POV
He turned on a lamp in the corner of the room. The yellow glow spilled across the photo albums on the small table beside me and threw long shadows along the walls. He said my name with a quiet restraint, almost as though he was trying to temper something deeper in himself. His lips pressed into a hard line after he spoke, and he looked like he needed to collect himself before he could continue. The anger in his jaw was clear, even though he stood still.
“You are not allowed to come down to the basement. I was very clear about that,” he said at last.
I gave him a mock pout, knowing full well that I was pushing his patience just to see how far it could stretch. I tilted my head slightly, letting my voice drip with feigned innocence.
“Oh, come on. It is so interesting down he
