The front door creaked open, and RAyNe crossed the threshold, still carrying her. The house…his house…was quiet, almost suffocating in its emptiness. Everything about it was a reflection of what she had become in his world. No warmth. No comfort. Just cold, hard reality.

The air inside smelled of leather, polished wood, and something faintly metallic. His world was immaculate, a fortress built on power, control, and the idea that everything could be bought. Even her.

He walked up the ...