Deep.
In.
Out.
My hands are shaking.
I take a sip of my drink. It tastes like lime and nerves.
Above me, the sky is clear. Stars scattered like salt.
For a second, it’s peaceful.
And my brain does the worst possible thing.
It replays Ethan.
The look on his face.
That raw, territorial snap when that guy touched Sage.
Hands off my girl.
The way his whole body went tight and dangerous and protective.
My pulse kicks up again.
And the stupidest thought creeps in.
I wish Sean felt like that about me.
I wish someone looked at me like that.
Like I was theirs.
Like losing me would burn.
Maybe it wasn’t even about Ethan.
Not really.
It was the way he showed up.
The way heclaimedher.
Like she mattered that much.
Like she was worth fighting over.
And part of me wishing a man like him would feel all that for me.
I’m jealous.
I hug my knees, staring up at the stars.
“Get it together,” I mutter.
Because let’s be real.
