** Paige’s POV **

I stare at Ryder for a long moment, my chest tight and my heart beating way too loud in my ears.

Can they hear it with their superior hearing?

Everything he just said should terrify me. It should push me further into the little fortress I’ve built around my heart. I’ve spent almost seven years pretending I didn’t miss him, pretending I was fine, pretending I didn’t still ache every time I looked at Jaxon and saw his father in his smile.

But right now… It ...