Bang!
A heavy sound hit the villa walls from outside.
I reacted before thinking, locking the bathroom door and curling in on myself. My breath came fast, uneven. I already knew—if Ashton wanted inside, a door would never stop him for long.
The handle shook.
Then it broke.
The door slammed open with force, and his presence filled the space like pressure in the air.
"What the hell are you doing, Scarlett?" His voice was sharp, carrying that Alpha edge that made the room feel smaller.
He stood just beyond the bathroom frame, eyes dark and locked on me.
I pressed my hands against the door instinctively, like I could still hold him out. "I don't want to see you, Ashton. Please… just stay away from me."
My voice cracked halfway through.
Everything inside me was shaking. Not just anger. Not just pain. Something deeper. Something that wouldn't settle.
Because I couldn't unhear it.
