The pull between us was stronger than fear, stronger than reason.
“I told you to stay inside,” Gael said, his gaze sweeping over me. He frowned. “You’re pale. What happened?”
I shook my head, trying to smile. “Just went for a walk. Pushed it a little too hard, I guess.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press.
Instead, he stepped closer, his hand hovering near my shoulder like he wanted to steady me but wasn’t sure he should.
“You should sit down,” he murmured.
I met his eyes, my chest tightening.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “Maybe I should.”
His fingers brushed my arm, a fleeting touch that sent heat curling through me. I sank into the chair, exhaustion pulling at me. Gael lingered, his eyes searching mine.
“Everything’s okay?” he asked softly.
I forced a smile, the lie bitter on my tongue. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”
He nodded, but I saw the doubt in his eyes. He stayed close, his presence a silent comfort. And as much as I wanted to tell him the truth, to warn him, I couldn’t.
Not yet. Because for now, we had this fragile moment, and I wasn’t ready to shatter it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
GAEL
The moment I stepped back into the cabin, I knew something was wrong. The air was tight, like a storm had just rolled through.
Asher sat slumped in the chair by the window, staring blankly at his hands.
His face was pale, his jaw clenched so tightly I could almost hear his teeth grinding. He didn’t look up when I entered.
That alone was a red flag.
Asher was never this still, never this vulnerable. Not unless something had gutted him emotionally. My gut twisted.
I shut the door behind me softly, my eyes never leaving him.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” I commented.
He flinched, just a little, but his voice came out flat. “I’m fine.”
It was a lie. I knew it, and he knew I knew it.
The tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers trembled slightly, gave him away. I took a step closer, my boots scuffing against the warped wooden floor.
“You’re a lot of things, Asher, but a good liar isn’t one of them,” I told him.
He sighed, finally looking up. His eyes were guarded, a wall of steel behind them. “Drop it, Gael.”
I narrowed my eyes, a familiar frustration bubbling up inside me. I pressed him again.
“Something happened while I was gone. What was it?” I asked.
He shook his head, his gaze flicking away again. “It doesn’t matter.”
