Caleb's POV
As I approach them, the sight hits me like a punch to the gut. Riley's fingers are intertwined with Silas's, her head resting against his shoulder in a gesture so intimate it makes my chest tighten. The jealousy that cuts through me is swift and merciless, but I force myself to swallow it down.
This has always been Silas's role in her life. He offers comfort through his quiet presence, a steady anchor when everything else falls apart. I lower myself onto the bench beside Riley, uncertain of what words might bridge the chasm that's opened between us.
She doesn't acknowledge my arrival with words, simply continues leaning into Silas's solid frame. I catch the subtle movement of her free hand, the way her fingers twitch toward mine before she thinks better of it, pressing her palm flat against her leg instead. Every fiber of my being wants to close that small distance, to capture her hand in mine, but I need to understand where we stand first.
