Chapter 85

• The night air was thick with silence, but Danielle couldn’t sleep. She tossed beneath the sheets, her mind racing with fragments of Alexander’s words—Richard is bleeding… he’ll retaliate… I’ll be ready.
• Ready.
• The word replayed like a drumbeat in her chest, but readiness didn’t erase fear. She rolled over, her gaze falling on the small bed tucked against the wall. Theo lay sprawled across it, his toy rabbit clutched tight in his arms. His breathing was soft, even, untroubled.