Layla's POV
The evening wore on, with the same strange tension still hanging between Ezra and me. After the conversation on the terrace, I wasn't quite sure what to make of our relationship. His words resounded in my mind, drowning my thoughts while I forged a polite smile and engaged in empty talk with the other guests.
Ezra stood close, an unspoken force beside me. His hand rested lightly on my shoulder, a possessive yet jaded touch. It was subtle, but it was there, and I was painfully aware of it. I wasn't sure what to make of it- of him.
I tilted my head and slightly turned my body so that I could look right into his eyes. "You don't have to do that," I whispered low enough just for him to hear.
"Do what?" His reply was smooth and indifferent; the sharp edge in his eyes t
