. She watched the sky outside the massive window shift from in

crunch of tires on the gravel d

stared back. She took a deep, steadying breath. For Diana's threat, for t

swung open, and Julian entered, bringing a gust o

eptic. A hospital smell. He

rt, but she pushed the feeling down. Her

s tone was distant. "She's fine. The doctors sai

nn had slept. No concern for the wife

r. "Julian," she said, her voice softer now, "we both forgot our anniversary

ng towards the walk-in clo

and gently wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her c

She was trying. Trying to bridge the chasm that ha

nt rigid at

ak the contact. He turned to face her, his expression cold,

d," he snapped.

touc

de, sliding between

fractionally. "Look, Ava is Owen's sister. Owen died saving my life. I have

excuse out loud. He was trying to frame

hat responsibility require you to spend the night with her? To abandon your

e cut her off, his voice sharp with i

irt from the night before, pr

s when sh

te collar of his shirt,

ndeniable li

ry red. The exact shade Ava

ushed to her head, then drained away just

, all of it dissolved into a pathetic, transpar

she raised it, her finge

ed, her voice trembling. "Is that

r. His face went pale. Raw, undi

his fist as if he could hide the evidenc

d closed, but for o

ich had been aching and breaking all night, finally just...

answer. The lipst

walked out of the closet, leaving him standing ther