Courtney's phone vibrated violently on the kitchen counter, rattling the mug of coffee she hadn't even taken a sip from. She froze, heart hammering, because she knew that vibration didn't mean a casual text or an innocuous email.
Dwayne, sitting across from her at the small kitchen table, noticed her eyes flicker toward the device. His hand reached across instinctively, covering hers. "Don't look yet," he said, low and controlled, but his jaw was tight enough to make the words sharp.
She swallowed, gripping the edge of the table. "Why not?"
"Because whoever's behind this wants a reaction," he replied, voice calm but loaded. "They want to see fear."
Her pulse raced. The words made the room feel colder, tighter, as though the walls themselves were pressing in. She had known tension before, but this… this was a predator circling, unseen yet palpable.
