Ana's POV
We made our way into the restaurant, and while Aileen disappeared to the restroom, Ridley turned his attention to Madeline with that polished charm he wore so well. "Please, order first. You're our guest tonight."
After Madeline and I had made our selections, Ridley rattled off a list of dishes with practiced ease, then casually requested three glasses of milk from the server.
"I absolutely love milk—thank you so much, Mr. Collin," Madeline beamed.
Ridley gave a brief nod. "Aileen's a milk lover, so I figured I'd get one for everyone."
His eyes flicked toward me for just a moment before darting away. He'd been doing that dance for days now—avoiding my gaze like I carried some contagious disease. Every glimpse of me seemed to remind him of something that made his jaw tighten with frustration.
I had no clue what demons were chasing him, but whatever had happened after the kidnapping clearly left him seething with disappointment he couldn't stomach facing.
