The silence that followed was almost deafening. Liam turned away, his chest rising and falling, and walked to the window without saying a word. He stood there, motionless, his back to her. With a slow movement, he pulled the curtain open just a crack, as if he needed contact with the world outside to keep something inside him under control. The morning light traced his silhouette across the floor, and the shadow on the wall revealed the tension vibrating through every line of his body.

After a