Aliyah's POV
The ride back felt colder than the wind warranted. The salt air bit at my cheeks, but it wasn’t the kind of cold that came from the weather. I kept my arms around Asher’s waist, but only because I had to, not because I wanted to. My cheek rested against his back, and I could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath the worn leather of his jacket.
The road hummed under the tires, a low, constant vibration that seemed to echo in my chest. Every bump made my stomach twist tighter. My mind kept looping back to Jax’s voice, the way my name had rolled out between him and Asher like a coin I hadn’t meant to drop.
He didn’t say much at first, and neither did I. The engine roared between us, louder than usual, swallowing anything unspoken.
Halfway down the narrow coas
