The silence stretches long after his answer.
Yes.
Simple. Certain. Like there was never another possibility. I look back down at the contract, scanning words that somehow feel heavier now.
Acknowledgment of proximity.
Restricted disclosure.
Permanent confidentiality.
Internal allegiance.
Every sentence sounds clinical, detached.
But beneath all the polished language, I can feel what it really means. Once I sign this, my life stops being entirely mine.
"You're staring at it like it might bite you," Ronan says from behind me.
"It might."
A faint hum of amusement. I hate that I'm starting to recognize the different sounds he makes. The subtle ones. The nearly silent reactions he gives instead of real emotion.
I close the folder carefully and stand, turning toward him fully.
"What
