The door clicked shut behind them, the hallway sounds swallowed by the quiet of Lilly's small apartment. She placed her bag down on the counter, suddenly hyper-aware of every scuff on the linoleum, every bit of clutter she hadn't cleaned, but Mark wasn't looking at any of that. He was looking at her.
"Bath," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for protest.
Her lips parted, hesitation rising, but it caught in her throat. There was no strength left in her body to argue. Her brother was safe, the bills were covered, and for the first time in days, she wasn't drowning. But with Mark standing here in her space, commanding the air around him, she felt stripped bare.
