…a strong pair of arms wrapping around me, steadying me with a surprising strength. Startled, I looked into Ethan’s eyes, which were no longer distant but filled with a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn’t quite place.
“Lila, I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice tinged with an emotion that was unfamiliar yet comforting.
I blinked, trying to process the warmth radiating from his body. “Ethan, you…” My words trailed off, the realization slowly dawning on me. His hands were gripping my arms with a firmness that belied his supposed condition.
