her because the

somewhere east, distant but persistent, and the building beneath his boots vibrated faintly with the low hum of gener

ne he'd learned to listen

ay pressure chang

nstinctiv

against the low concrete wall as if he'd meant to stop there all along. His ga

s of late customers and glowing screens. She had no umbrella, though the pavement still gleamed darkly from an earlier rain. Her coat was too light fo

Entirel

d

n fro

of danger. Just... presence. Like a thread brushing the inside of his ribs and retr

Didn't reach. Di

as his

wat

yed invisible. Watching

end she hadn't thought of them at all. Her mouth tightened briefly, a flicker of irritation edged with resign

n'

e. Not like that. Not directly. Watching was safer. Wat

that nearly exposed more than one secret-his included. There were still conseque

was, unseen, letting

clipping hers hard enough that she stumbled a half step. She sucked in a sharp breath, surprise

atte

s jaw t

ut into awareness. As if something had leaned closer

oked u

im. Not

ildings across the street, eyes narrowing slightly as her brows dre

ent utte

The shadows were thick, the angle wrong, the distance too g

ensation was

n without

under his breath, the word

ht before it could take root. She stepped closer to the curb just as a car tore through

nched t

o her chest as she took a steadying breath, eyes wide now, alert. A

swore

seale

or why it echoed in him instead of passing cleanly through the city the way it should ha

sn't s

ple told themselves when they

l, boots silent against the concrete. He pulled his phone from his p

ll anyone

time. The locat

ered. Ignoring anomalies was ho

ut breaking. Watching

wed her once more-lights shifting, people moving, the moment disso

d see h

wouldn't pretend