RYAN

I left the hospital wing feeling the heavy weight of the secret. Pregnant. Elena, our quiet, resourceful, fiercely protective friend, was carrying a child. It was a stunning revelation, one that instantly rearranged my priorities from tactical security to nurturing safety.

My feelings for Elena had been growing, a slow, steady burn of respect and a longing for her company that had nothing to do with her history and everything to do with her spirit. Seeing her pale and broken in the hallway ...