Heavy silence crackled on the other end of the line.
“It was just the heat of the moment,” Ethan finally said, his voice dropping into that gentle, manipulative tone I knew all too well. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Save it,” I cut him off, my stomach churning with every word he spoke. “Whether you meant it or not doesn’t change the fact that you laid hands on me. The Apex who swore to protect me was the one who hurt me.”
“Fine, fine, it’s
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