Kyle’s grip loosened the instant he heard the dispatcher’s voice coming through my phone. It wasn’t fear yet—more like disbelief that someone had actually crossed the line he assumed no one would cross in public. Hannah stumbled back, finally free, one hand clutching her wrist as she tried to steady her breathing.
Sharon’s applause died mid-motion. Her smile cracked as she looked around and realized the restaurant was no longer quietly observing—it was witnessing. Forks stopped halfway to mouths. Conversations collapsed into silence. Even the staff had shifted closer, uncertain but alert.
Kyle straightened his shirt like he could dress the moment into something smaller. “You’re ruining everything,” he muttered, but his voice had lost its edge. He wasn’t commanding the room anymore—he was reacting to it.
I didn’t move from my spot. “It’s already ruined,” I said quietly. “You did that the second you put your hands on her-
