The locker room after practice smelled of sweat, icy hot, and the growing weight of unspoken questions. Most of the guys were already dressed and drifting out, but a few lingered — Riot toweling off near his locker, Tank stretching massive shoulders, Liam scrolling his phone with a smirk that made my stomach tighten. Shadow, as always, watched everything without saying much.
I kept my head down, pulling on a fresh hoodie while trying to ignore the deep ache in my ribs. Every movement reminded me of Kane’s hits, of Lila’s story, of the way Caleb had kissed every bruise like he could erase them.
Caleb stood at the far end, captain’s authority wrapped around him like armor. But I felt his eyes on me the entire time — heavy, protective, burning with everything we couldn’t say in front of the
