The moment Axel's phone vibrated, his entire body jolted. He fumbled with it clumsily, hands unsteady, heart already racing ahead of his mind.
He unlocked the screen too fast, almost dropping the phone in his rush. Ivan's reply lit the display, his words short but heavy.
~As long as you show up tonight. Just know when today passes, I'm not going to play this game anymore.
Axel read it once. Then again. And again.
The tension in his chest eased just slightly, a heavy sigh slipping past his lips before he realized he had been holding his breath.
His shoulders slumped against the chair, relief loosening muscles he hadn't known were so tight. For the first time since Norman had stormed into the library, a faint thread of calm wound its way into him.
