Chapter 36

• “You don’t have to protect me, Crown,” I said, my voice almost breaking as I watched him stand there, his back straight and his eyes fixed on the door. He had been so quiet tonight, so distant. But I could feel the tension radiating off him.
• “I’m not protecting you, Ava,” he replied, his tone as steady as ever, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something deep, something that I couldn’t quite place. “I’m standing with you. There’s a difference.”
• I frowned, my heart racing. “You always say that, but what does it mean? What does any of this mean?” I took a step toward him, my hand trembling slightly as I reached out, but he stepped back before I could touch him.