Chapter 61. Running Away

Layla’s POV

The silence in the living room was heavy, thick with everything unspoken, just between us. My skin still hummed with the memory of Ezra’s touch; my lips hummed with the tingle of his kiss. But reality was creeping back in like an unkind and relentless anxiety. My fingers, still pressed against his, felt warm and comforting, but I could feel the storm brewing in my mind.

I shut my eyes and exhaled shakily while memories clawed their way to the top. Memories of Orion. Of giving him everything love, my trust, my loyalty—and then being tossed aside like yesterday’s scraps. I had been so blind, believing that if I loved hard enough, if I gave enough, he would see me, appreciate me, choose me. He never did.

What if Ezra was the same?

That clenching thought in my heart. Ezra was different, wasn’t he? He had shown kindness patience and understanding for me. But was it real? Was it permanent? Or was I just another one-time attraction in his life?