n pack, a smirk pl

ed he was just t

e'd be

ays ca

r shut after he left, a defia

dence f

pportunist, feig

e, his arm snaking

he murmured, his brea

brushed

d, but didn

hurt her, and Liam's

d a carefully c

... he's influential,

er with wide,

he cause trouble

sured by Liam's app

ut Archwood's departmental politics. Besides, Ethan n

s. He wouldn't jeopardize their joint

ned into

t call. He

submission de

began to tighten i

sn't li

le, was a mod

ened patiently to her complain

seemed to be healin

umming as he made coffee, moving with an

ded she'd

Ethan, drag him

ubmit that fello

er depen

o leave, Liam yelp

his finger while slicing

ly, but he made a

o much!" he cried, holding

, her maternal in

e see,

ed the min

ing, just

y," Liam whimpered, his ey

phobia of bandaids. And I'm

expression a mixture

uely towards his mouth. "My grandmother used to s

o weak, so

for a split seco

is "heroic" act, recoveri

e so muc

mall, if str

nd briefly, awkwardly, licke

ment, his eyes flutter

Chloe. You

of the moment, Chloe's

ded to

m. "I have to go, Li

almost predatory smile playing on

sfaction that had nothing to

Ethan's depa

rel was

te in History and a long-time fam

han?" Chloe asked, trying

d up, her ex

nal days. Said he wa

s clipped,

e. Olivia had always been a bit

eir apartment, a growing s

as e

et was bare. His books w

read fil

t taken a few

ad *

rofound loss

ld he d

? A stupi

r Liam was clear

is. She had to ma

o go to Profe

en supportive of

k some sense

knew where Eth

she overheard two departmental secr

housing complex, the one near Pacific

eet? That wa

elief washe

t left Archw

atic, holing up somewh

. Men. So p

other going

' directions, a new determin

housing complex, a mode

ectory, but Ethan's

wouldn't make

she saw a familiar figure emerge from the ele

screetly to a door

til he left,

sk, surrounded by books

zzer sounded, a brief flicker

om Dr. Reed's office, fina

ned th

ell when h

n a deep, wea

t are you d

didn't

im into the small

arm, her grip su

ness and come home. We hav

r hand on his arm,

adable, but a cold reso

as d

y, irrevo

ut of their doors in the hallw

public s

urther into the room, away from pry