Damien's grip on the suitcase handle tightened as he reached for the door, his breath coming in short, hurried bursts. He was almost out. Just a few steps, and he'd be gone—out of the country, away from all of this madness.
Clap…
At that moment he froze.
His hand hovered inches from the doorknob, his entire body locked up as the sharp, slow clap echoed behind him in the quiet apartment.
Clap… clap… clap…
It didn't feel real. His mind struggled to process it. He had locked the door. The windows. Everything. He had checked the alarm system twice before packing. There were cameras in the hallway, sensors on the windows. His security setup was top-grade.
No one could have gotten in.
No one.
But the clapping was real.
And it was coming from behind him.
He turned—slowly, almost unwillingly—his eyes wide, his lips trembling.
And there he was.
Seated calmly on the velvet chair in the corner, legs crossed, fingers still coming together in one slow clap at a time.
Kai.
