CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
I stand before Ryan, the heat from the raging battle behind us doing nothing to warm the chill between us. His eyes, usually a soft golden hue that reminds me of dawn breaking over the desert, are hard and cold now.
"Ryan, I can’t accept your offer," I say, my voice steady despite the storm brewing within me. "I’m not giving up Jake. And this fight... it's futile. We need to retreat."
His lips draw into a tight line. "Retreat? And show weakness?" he counters, his tone sharp like shattered glass underfoot.
"Better to live and fight another day than die for pride," I insist, meeting his glare with fierce determination. “And better to have integrity than sacrifice someone for authority.”
He steps closer, the proximity sending a familiar jolt through me. "And what of lo
