Chapter 1
Lila’s POV
The house felt empty with Mom gone for her night shift.
I stood in the kitchen wearing nothing but an old oversized T-shirt and a pair of plain white cotton panties, eating cereal straight from the box because I was too lazy to grab a bowl.
The microwave clock glowed 11:47. Mark, my stepdad, was still upstairs in his office.
I had heard him on a call earlier, his deep voice rumbling through the walls, and then the soft click of his door closing. Now I heard his footsteps started down the stairs, heavy and unhurried.
My stomach did a little flip, I told myself it was just hunger, just the late hour, but my skin prickled like it already knew what was coming.
I stayed rooted by the counter, crunching another handful of cereal, pretending I was calm.
He
