Before Miles could respond, Jake slipped out the door. He heard his mother's voice rising in his defense as it closed behind him, buying him time he desperately needed.
The ship's corridors were quieter now, most passengers having retired to their cabins after the evening's entertainment. Jake wandered aimlessly at first, replaying the night's events in his mind. The revelation of Amity's true identity had been shocking, but it hadn't changed how her music made him feel—or the connection he'd sensed between them.
Without consciously deciding, he found himself heading toward the crew deck again. This time, however, he was intercepted before he could get far.
"Mr. Monroe." Liam Jenkins-Whitmore stepped out from an alcove, blocking Jake's path. "A word, if you don't mind."
Jake tensed, ex
