The impact sent Alex sprawling to the floor, releasing Lily. She collapsed, gasping for breath, tears streaming down her cheeks. Cage knelt beside her, his expression shifting from anger to concern. "Lily, are you okay?" His voice was soft, almost tender, and seeing her like this hurt him more than he wanted to admit.
Lily nodded weakly, trying to pull herself together. "I'm fine, Cage," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Cage's eyes flickered with an emotion he couldn't quite name. He shouldn't be feeling this way about her. He was supposed to rejoice at seeing her like this, to feel vindicated for all the wrongs she had committed. But instead, it felt like his heart was being ripped apart. He wanted to comfort her, to protect her, and the intensity of these feelings scared him.