Chapter 64
Ema's
We finally made it back to the house. As we stepped inside, the front door clicked shut behind us, and the sound felt like a huge sigh of relief. After the stress at the school and seeing Peter watching us from the corner, being inside these walls felt like the only safe place left in the world. The house felt much quieter than usual. It was the kind of heavy quiet that made every small sound seem much louder than it actually was. I could hear the faint ticking of a clock and the sound of our own footsteps on the floor.
Derek didn't go to his office or start making phone calls right away. Instead, he walked over to the large chair near the window and sat down. He looked tired, but his eyes were still sharp. He reached out and gently pulled me toward him until I was standing right between his legs. He didn't say anything at first. He just rested his hands on my waist. His palms felt warm and steady through my clothes, and the physical contact helped ground me.
