Thinking.
When everything inside me was screaming that there was no time for that.
In the background of the call, a male voice spoke, harsh and irritated.
—Who are you? What are you doing here?
Kyle.
I recognized that tone immediately, but now there was something else: a nervous tension, as if I weren’t expecting to meet someone.
Marcus did not respond immediately.
That silence, once again, began to grow between them like a dangerous space.
“I’m here for the child,” Marcus finally said.
Simple. Direct. No frills.
“That’s none of your business,” Kyle replied, louder now. “It’s my house.”