DARIUSI shouldn't have been driving.Three—no, four—glasses of scotch sat heavy in my blood, making the road blur slightly at the edges. But I needed to see Luna. Needed to hold my daughter and remind myself why any of this mattered.My mother's house glowed warm against the night sky. I parked crooked in the driveway, not caring, and stumbled slightly getting out of the car.The door opened before I could knock. Mom stood there in her robe, her expression shifting from surprise to disapproval as she took in my state."Darius. It's nearly ten o'clock.""I need to see Luna." My words came out slightly slurred. "Is she still awake?"Mom studied me for a long moment, then stepped aside. "She's getting ready for bed. You have fifteen minutes."I walked past her into the house—the house I'd grown up in, with its familiar smell. It should have felt comforting. Instead, it felt suffocating."Daddy!"Luna's voice came from the stairs. I turned to see her rushing down in her pajamas—the pink
Last Updated : 2025-11-18
