Jordan stared at her for a long stretch of silence. The living room felt smaller. Somewhere in the kitchen a glass was set down on the counter with careful quiet. Jordan’s eyes flicked toward the sound, then back to Elena’s face.

“Is it him?” The question came out low and direct. “Marcus. The way you’ve been since you moved back. The way the air changes when the two of you are in the same room. The way you flinch when I push on the distance. Is that what this is?”

Elena’s whole body went cold and then hot. The thick presence of Marcus inside her felt like it might as...