KEILAH

I searched his face, trying to understand what was going through his mind, but his expression was unreadable. The silence stretched between us, thick and tense.

"Damien," I finally spoke, my voice softer than I intended. "Are you okay?"

His eyes flickered slightly, but he still didn’t move, didn’t speak.

I swallowed hard. "Garbie told me about the fight… You and Ralph…"

Before I could say anything else, Damien reached for me.

His strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me flush against his chest. The sudden warmth of his body against mine sent a shiver through me. His grip was firm—possessive, even—but after a few seconds, I felt the...