Ash stared at him, stunned. He hadn't expected Elijah to be so direct about it, and yet here he was, admitting it without hesitation.
"I don't like seeing you so close to him," Elijah said, his voice firm but laced with vulnerability. "I don't like seeing you smile at him when you can't even look me in the eye. It bothers me."
Ash was at a loss for words. He hadn't thought that Elijah would care—no, he hadn't thought that Elijah would even notice. But seeing the frustration and jealousy on Elijah's face stirred something inside of him. He kind of felt amused and satisfied.
"Look, Kian is just a friend," Ash said, trying to ease the tension though his heart fluttered. Elijah was jealous, and because of him. "He's naive and pure. He's been helping me a lot here, that's all."
