[Music Recommendation: Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo.]
The evening ended beneath a heavy cloud of tension, thick with words neither could bring themselves to say.
Still, Lyle's demeanor didn't change. He held her hand to the car, helped her into the passenger seat, then slipped into the driver's seat without a word and drove off.
Ephyra sighed softly, turning away from him. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes.
A few minutes passed.
Lyle, his knuckles white from the death grip on the steering wheel, finally eased up. Slowing the car, he cast a glance her way.
He flexed his fingers, one by one, loosening the tight grip he hadn't realized he was holding.
When they arrived at the hotel suite, the guards at the entrance greeted them both. The door opened, and they stepped in. It closed softly behind them.
The silence between them stretched, heavy and uncertain. Neither had said a word since leaving the rooftop.
