Chapter 279

Clara's cheeks were flushed bright red, her lips pressed tightly together as if afraid to make a sound. Ethan leaned in and kissed her softly. He seemed to really like the way she sounded, intentionally drawing those whispers out of her with every skillful kiss. That’s when he noticed her voice was getting hoarse. Only then did something click in his mind. He pulled back immediately, wrapping her carefully in his arms like she might break, murmuring countless apologies against her ear. Clara closed her eyes. It was a strange kind of sweetness tangled with discomfort—shameful to even describe. “I should probably cut back on the drinking…” she mumbled. Thankfully, Ethan could read the room—he didn’t argue, just kept gently comforting her. Clara, moved by this side of him, hugged him back with her small hands. The night slowly slipped away. By the time they finally got up and moving—sun shining high through the windows—the house was empty. Vincent King had hopped on a flight right after t