Self-Inflicted Wounds

Nolan’s POV

“Valerie!”

The line went dead.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the screen like maybe it was lying. Maybe she hadn’t really hung up.

But she had.

Silence. Just the soft hum of nothing. And that sinking weight in my chest again.

I dropped the phone onto the table. My hands were already shaking. The pain in my knuckles—dull at first—turned sharp and hot. I looked down an