Chapter 72. That Particular Tone

Athena

He opened the door cautiously, his body language tense and ready for trouble. I could see his eyebrows raise in surprise, and he shifted slightly but didn’t move away from the doorway, still blocking my view of whoever was outside.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I moved to get a better look around Derek’s shoulder. When I saw who was standing in my hallway, my own eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Rhys. My handsome neighbor, looking as perfectly put-together as ever despite the late hour.

“Hi,” Rhys said with that smooth smile of his. “I was just coming back from work and decided to say hello.”

“Oh, thank you. Welcome,” I replied, though I was still puzzled by the timing of his visit.

Derek hadn’t moved an inch from his protective position in the doorway, and I could feel tension radiating from him like heat from a fire.

Rhys’s attention shifted to Derek, and his smile became more calculating. “Hi there,” he said, like he was