As Julian walked inside, Emily slipped out into the hallway. She saw Ethan and ran into his arms, kissing him. The stress of the day finally broke, and she needed to feel his arms around her.
Inside the room, Lyvana was asleep, her face looking pale against the pillows. Julian sat beside her, his heart heavy. He reached out and gently moved a strand of hair away from her face.
His touch was light, but her eyes snapped open and she pulled back, looking at him.
"Who are you?" she asked, softly. "Why are you in my room?"
Julian froze. He wanted to tell her he was the man who loved her. He wanted to tell her they were going to be a family. But seeing the confusion in her eyes, he knew the truth would only scare her more.
"I'm a friend," Julian said instead. "I helped bring you here. You're safe now, Lyvana."
She nodded, then drifted off to sleep. Julian watched her sleep.
