Chapter 123: See Yourself Out

The kitchen clock ticked too loudly for a house this big. Each second that passed made the air feel heavier, pressing against my chest until it hurt to breathe. Penny was near the island, her hands trembling as if she was holding on to the edge of something that was already slipping away. “What did you say?” Her voice was small, strangled—like she wasn’t sure the words she’d heard were real. I pinched the space between my eyebrows, the start of a migraine crawling behind my eyes. “Penny, I think you should leave now,” I said quietly. “This isn’t going anywhere.” But she didn’t move. Her eyes, usually sharp and bright, were wide and wet now. “I’m not going anywhere, Roman!” Her voice cracked, rising in a way I’d never heard from her before. “What the hell did you just say about my sister?” I gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles whitening. God, why did I ever think inviting her over was a good idea? I’d wanted peace—a good time and a couple of laughs, maybe—but this was anything but