Chapter 17

Lila I closed the door to my room, leaning against it as I let out a slow, measured breath. My heart was still racing, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears. It was ridiculous—he was ridiculous. Every time I thought I could manage some semblance of control around Caden, he showed up and turned my entire world upside down. How was I supposed to keep it together when all I could think about was him? I shook my head, trying to clear the haze. I needed to get a grip. This was getting out of hand, and the last thing I needed was to lose myself in the whirlwind of emotions he stirred up. I was stronger than this. I had to be. I undressed quickly, tossing my clothes into a heap on the floor, and headed straight into the bathroom. The hot water felt soothing against my skin, and for a few minutes, I let myself relax, closing my eyes and hoping that the steam would somehow wash away the tension I’d been carrying all day. I thought about Ethan downstairs, the stranger Ronan had introduce