CHAPTER 5: THE MOMENT THE HOUSE CHANGED TEMPERATURE
CHAPTER 5: THE MOMENT THE HOUSE CHANGED TEMPERATURE
Lily appeared at the top of the stairs.
Small.
Still.
Watching.
Marcus saw her immediately.
And something inside him tightened—not violently, but permanently.
He didn’t wait.
He walked past Cassandra and went straight to his daughter.
He knelt.
“Come here,” he said softly.
Lily hesitated.
Just a fraction.
Then she ran into him.
No words.
Just impact.
Her arms locked around his neck like she was afraid gravity might change its mind.
Marcus held her longer than necessary.
Long enough to memorize her weight again.
Long enough to understand what had been happening in his absence.
Behind them, Cassandra’s voice tried to return to control.
“Marcus, she’s just—”
But he raised one hand.
Not aggressively.
Not loudly.
May you like
Just enough.
And she stopped.
