Page 145 of Rookie Rules

"I care about you. That is why I am trying to protect what you are building here."

"Do not make this for me."

"It is partly for you whether you like that or not."

"No." Luca's voice stayed quiet. "That is the part you do not get. You can choose fear. You can choose the team. You can decide the risk is too high. But you do not get to take something away from me and rename the empty space protection."

Rowan breathed in through his nose. His hands were empty now, held loose at his sides like he was stopping himself from reaching.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"A choice."

"Between you and the team?"

"No. Between telling the truth to me and continuing to hide from yourself."

"You think those are separate from the team because you have been here three months."

Luca absorbed the blow. Rowan seemed to regret it before the sentence ended, but he did not take it back.

"Maybe," Luca said. "And you think everything is the team because then nothing has to be Rowan."

Silence opened between them.

A car turned onto the level at the far end. Headlights swept across the columns, touched Rowan's coat, and moved away. Neither man stepped back. There was nothing incriminating in two teammates standing apart before work.

There was the whole problem.

"I cannot give you what you are asking for," Rowan said at last.

The words were gentle. They were also clear.

Luca had believed clarity would feel like relief. Instead it felt like a blade laid flat against his ribs, not cutting yet, only proving where it could.

He nodded once.

"All right."

Rowan's control broke at the edges. "Luca."

"No. You answered. I asked you not to hide the answer inside responsibility, and this time you didn't."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I know."

"This is not because you do not matter."

"Then you should have been able to say that before I left."

Rowan took half a step toward him.

Luca stepped back.

It was small. It was final.

Rowan stopped.