Winn Kane suddenly looked… breakable. His knuckles whitened around the armrest as the jet's engines roared to life. He shut his eyes tightly, every line of his body drawn taut.
Ivy had seen this look before.
The memory came back in a rush — the day they'd gotten stuck in the elevator together. The power had gone out, plunging them into darkness. Now she understood — it wasn't just elevators. It was the loss of control.
Her heart squeezed painfully at the sight.
Without thinking, she reached over and placed her hand over his. It was a gentle, hesitant gesture, but the reaction was immediate. Winn's hand shot up and gripped hers, hard, lacing their fingers together. His palm was warm and slightly damp, his grip desperate — but she didn't mind.
She didn't speak. Instead, she let him have the silence he needed. She watched the way his chest rose and fell, the muscle in his jaw twitching with every subtle shake of the aircraft.
