Ethan McGraw sat silently, his eyes reflecting the weight of years and the shadows of regrets. The world had moved on without him, leaving him to tend to the remnants of a life once filled with the roar of gunfire and the thrill of danger. But now, it was the presence of this battered girl that troubled him more than any past confrontation. Her whispered words lingered in the air, a testament to the cruelty she had endured.
“You don’t even know me,” she repeated, her voice fragile yet edged with disbelief.
Ethan’s gaze softened, and he slowly shook his head. “No, I don’t,” he replied, his voice like gravel underfoot. “But I know what it means to be hunted, to be hurt. You don’t need to be known to deserve kindness.”
