40. Rein Myself In (Luke POV)

The drive back to the apartment was thick with tension, the silence in the car almost oppressive. From my spot in the passenger seat, I glanced back and forth between Clay and Lexi. Her eyes met mine briefly—those vibrant green orbs clouded by a flicker of confusion and concern. She looked as lost as I felt. Clay, meanwhile, was unreadable. His jaw was set, eyes fixed on the road, a statue of impassive concentration.

Was it the weight of his imminent leadership that burdened him so? Or was it something simpler yet infinitely more complex, like when Lexi climbed onto my back instead of his wet one? My thoughts cycled through the possibilities, each more unnerving than the last.

When we finally pulled up to the apartment, the atmosphere remained heavy, unbroken even by the jingle of keys or the slam of car doors. Leaning closer to Lexi as we exited the car, I whispered so softly I wasn't sure she'd hear. "Take a bath when we get up there."

She nodded, a tiny movement almost lost in th