“Hell the fuck no I wouldn’t,” Jess hissed, still staring at the door like something might come barrelling out of it.
“And besides,” Seph added, “Echo might figure out how to follow me. So I’m fine. Stop trying to fix me.”
“I’m not trying to fix you,” I said, stepping toward her again despite Dev’s warning. “Whether you believe it or not, Seph, Idocare what happens to you.”
“Why?” she asked. Flat. Tired. Defeated.
I froze. A thousand answers burned in my throat—none of which I could say.
I watched the light drain from her eyes. “Right,” she murmured. “Just like I thought.”
Something in me snapped. “Why do you have to be so goddamn stubborn?”
She turned away from me toward Ash. “I’m tired.”
Ash nodded, jaw tight. Then he slowly lifted his gaze to me, that feral gleam flickering to life in his eyes—a warning, a threat, a promise.
Ash stepped closer to Seph, slow but deliberate, like he thought she might shatter if he moved too fast.
His eyes—too bright, too wild—tracked every tiny tremor in her body.
I hated the way he looked at her.
I hated that he got to be close when she wouldn’t let me.
Seph swayed. Just a fraction. But enough that my heart slammed against my ribs.
Ash closed his eyes for a second and I felt his power rise around us. A wind that guided her, without touching her skin towards her bed.
He was so gentle with her. I’d never seen him this gentle with anyone.
I went to move towards her bed, but the air thickened in front of me.
Not Ash.
Echo.
She didn’t want me to go closer.
So I stepped back. I left the room.
I watched Dev approach her. I watched him whisper something in her ear.
She nodded, her face twisted in a grimace.
Something about her agreement satisfied him and the three of us left the room.
The door slammed shut behind us.
Jess just stared at us, like she expected us to yell at her.
Instead I nodded.
“Thank you for looking out for her.”
“She’s easy.” Jess said, her voice flat.
Dev scoffed under his breath. “Easy, right.”
