Ethan
The sound of the hospital doors closing behind Ariana’s stretcher still echoed in my ears as I stood there, watching helplessly. Every second felt like an eternity. My mind was racing, replaying what had just happened in the basement. I could still feel the sting of Ryder’s punch, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the anger boiling inside me.
I stood there, glaring at Ryder as he tried to follow Ariana inside. His face was pale, his expression a mess of guilt and desperation, but that didn’t matter to me. He didn’t deserve to see her, not after what he did.
As Ryder took a step toward the hospital door, I moved to block his path. I knew he was stronger than me, faster too, but that didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to let him hurt her again.
“You’re not going in there,” I
