Zade's Darkness

Grayson POV

I walk out of the building, my eyes scanning the quiet darkness outside, searching for Zade. The party inside is still in full swing, but my mind can’t settle knowing Sammi’s in tears and Zade’s out here somewhere, carrying the weight of whats been tearing him apart.

As I round the corner, I see him. He’s sitting on the ground with his back pressed against the brick wall, his head lowered, arms resting on his knees. The way he’s sitting, closed in on himself, tells me more than any words could. Zade never lets himself look vulnerable, but tonight, he can’t hide it. It's like stepping back in time, only this time, he's not trembling or crying.

I sit beside him without a word, letting the silence fall between us. It’s always been like this with us—we don’t need to talk right away. I know if I push him now, he’ll shut down completely. He’s got to come to it on his own. I wait, the seconds stretching into minutes.

“You should be inside with your wife, not out here with me,” Za