Chapter 9

Erick: I felt her weight shift in my arms as Alina’s body sagged, her breathing shallow and ragged. She’d fainted—again. Damn it. This wasn’t the first time she’d pushed herself too hard, and every time it happened, a cold knot settled in my stomach. Without wasting another moment, I hoisted her up into my arms, adjusting her weight. She was a lot lighter than I had expected her to be, and tightened that cold knot in my stomach. My heart raced as I quickly moved through the washroom door, but the familiar silence of the hallway was shattered when a figure appeared in front of me. Ryan Paul. The guy who never seemed to leave Alina’s side. I wasn’t surprised to see him here, but my annoyance flared up the moment his eyes locked onto Alina and me. “Where are you taking her?” Ryan asked, his voice steady but with that unmistakable edge of concern. I didn’t answer right away. I wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation, but Ryan wasn’t making this easy. He was standing right in front of the ex