The ride back to Falls End was full of laughter, Hurk cracking joke after joke, his wild stories making you double over. You didn’t notice Sharky’s tight grip on the wheel, the way his jaw clenched each time you laughed a little too hard at Hurk’s antics.

By the time you reached the Spread Eagle, Sharky was already stomping off toward the bar, his shoulders tense.

Inside, he sat hunched over a beer, his face set in a scowl as he stared into his drink, ignoring the noise around him. You walked up, leaning against the counter beside him. He didn’t look up, just took another long swig, his eyes fixed on the bottle.

You frowned, nudging him lightly, but he just grunted, his gaze shifting away.