"Ayla!" The voice cut through the silence of the room, sharp in his urgency.
Ayla froze mid-step, her back still to him, and turned to face him. She didn't want this conversation-not now, of course-when so much had happened, never mind the guilt digging into her shoulders. Her eyes closed for a millisecond as a deep breath was taken before opening. She turned her face, guarded as her expression seemed.
"Ethan, what do you want?"
He strode toward her, his jaw clenched, his eyes darkened by a frustration she hadn't seen before. "What I want," he began, low, "is to understand what's going on with you... and with Liam."
Ayla's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the directness. "What are you talking about?"
Ethan had stopped, his eyes scanning her face as if the answers woul
