Derek slammed his fist against the wall, feeling the sharp sting of pain shoot through his knuckles, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the frustration boiling inside him. He had called Ella for the umpteenth time, only for each call to go to voicemail.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” he roared, throwing his phone across the room with so much force that it shattered on impact. Not satisfied, he stormed toward it, trampling on the already broken pieces with his boot as though it could vent ...