As Itzy and Ryker went back to the cottage, a heavy feeling hung in the air. Itzy stayed quiet, looking out the window, lost in her thoughts. Ryker wasn't sure if he should talk to her or let her be, so he chose the latter. He left her to her thoughts, realizing there was something weighing on her mind.
As the water ran in the shower, Ryker let the soothing sound be a background noise. Steam wafted from the bathroom, a veil of warmth that wrapped around Ryker as he replayed the moment in his mind. Itzy's sudden revelation about seeing Jace had jolted him, lingering like an unresolved question. Thinking about the unclear future, Ryker felt unsure. The uncertainty lingered in his mind.
The image of Itzy standing abruptly and uttering those words played on a loop in Ryker's mind. He couldn't shake off the weight of the implications. Would he continue as her protector, or would his role morph into something else?