53. A Blur (Luke POV)

Just as the words left my mouth, the door creaked open, and Clay walked in, looking a bit disheveled, his eyes glazed over as if he'd been wrestling with unseen forces. The timing was uncanny.

"See," I chuckled, locking eyes with Lexi for a moment before turning my attention to Clay.

"What?" Clay's brow furrowed, a perplexed look dancing across his face.

"I was just telling Lexi how surprised I was that you hadn't shown up yet. Perfect timing, isn't it?"

Clay exhaled deeply, almost a groan. "I was actually hoping to get a bit more work done, but you two," he gestured vaguely between us, "are making it nearly impossible to concentrate."

The atmosphere in the room was noticeable, a heavy blend of anticipation, anxiety, and a dash of something unnameable. Before I could talk myself out of it, the words burst forth from my lips: "Do you think things would get easier if I marked her as well?"

The room went still, as if we'd all caught our collective breaths. My eyes darted between Lexi and