"What the hell did you just say?"
Ethan's voice hung in the air like a blade waiting to fall, sharp with the kind of protective fury that Maya had never seen from him before. This wasn't captain's authority or competitive aggression—this was something deeper, more personal, more dangerous.
Mateo stiffened, his shoulders squaring as he turned to face Ethan head-on. The vulnerability from his confession disappeared instantly, replaced by the defensive posture of someone who'd been caught saying something he hadn't meant to be overheard. His crooked grin was completely gone.
"You heard me," Mateo said, his voice carrying challenge instead of retreat.
No. This is not happening. This cannot be happening.
Ethan took a step forward, fists curling at his sides with barely restrained violence. "Say it again."
