(Emma)
I sat there, still catching my breath, my fingers aching from all the work I had done. My body felt exhausted, but there was a strange satisfaction deep in my chest. I had helped today—really helped. And that meant something.
Darius was still beside me, his warmth comforting me. I turned to him, studying his face. He looked a little tired, but there was something else there like he was proud of me.
I hesitated for a moment before asking, “I thought you said you were going to be busy today?”
Darius glanced at me, then smirked, shaking his head. “I was.”
I raised a brow. “But?”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was trying to figure out what to do when I ran into Silas. He was up and walking around like nothing happened, and I figured he’d end up here to cause trouble.”
