chapter 72

A week later

"I love you," Ethan said as I lay breathlessly beside him, my body still trembling from the intensity of having him inside me. His words lingered in the air, but I couldn’t bring myself to say them back. If I truly loved him, would I have put his life in danger?

I moved closer, resting my head on his warm chest as he gently stroked my hair. "You know, I was thinking maybe it's time to leave the ship," Ethan murmured, his voice soft but insistent. My heart skipped a beat. Ever since Wayne told me what they were really planning, I’d been refusing to get off the ship.

"No, let's stay," I insisted. I was seasick, tired of seeing the same faces every day, but more than anything, I didn’t want anything to happen to Ethan.

"I know you're scared, but I think it's safe now," Ethan said, trying to reassure me. "Wayne and Alfred have fled the country, and I hear they’re more afraid of us than we are of them."

I shook my head. "No!" I protested, my voice sharper than I intended. Etha