The sound echoed through the night, sharp and unexpected. Not dangerous. Not threatening. Just loud enough to snap all three of them out of the fragile moment they had fallen into.
Lanry froze on his knees, breath unsteady. Aiden shifted slightly closer to Maylen, not shielding her, but standing with a quiet readiness that somehow made the air even heavier.
A warm breeze moved through the alley, carrying the scent of sea spray and city smoke. But all Maylen felt was the weight of two men watching her as if she were the only thing that mattered in the world.
A second car door shut.
This time softer.
“Someone’s here,” Maylen whispered.
Lanry’s head lifted sharply, his eyes rising from her trembling hand up to her face. His expression twisted with something he couldn’t quite hide. He ha
