se silence with a calm but comm

er cheeks burned, and she quickly lowered her gaze, clutching the damp fabric o

ly to her skin. Now, standing under the hot shower, the warm water cascaded ov

pounded louder with every question. She'd never been alone in such close proximity with a man befor

her nerves frayed, the room was empty. Hazel blinked in surprise, a

ught stung more than she expected. Did he think she was trying to seduce him earlier, undressing out of des

d on the floor for herself. The proper thing to do was to give Mich

-

the cold floor, staring at the cracked ceilin

been a

lives. The memory hit her like a crashing wave, and

ht played vivid

way back from the village. Her father had struggled to control the steering wheel,

er's frantic instructions-they all blurred together. Hazel's body trembled as the memory claw

ed. Those were his last words befo

fingers numb, her voice hoarse as she screa

e ans

depths. The cold was merciless, stealing her breath, numbing her limb

d around her waist, pulling

of her savior: a tall figure clad in black combat gear, his face

now. I won't

had been h

up abruptly, hugging her knees. Her savior had vanished as mysteriously as he'd appeared

-

e air was heavy with rain and silence. A row of

by the faint glow of a streetlamp. He accepted a phone from Un

the line," Gavin inform

ightened as he

m the other end. "Lucas! You've been away from Sk

"Don't call me that," he said c

ed. "You've turned your back on this family long enough. Y

mother, you lost the right to dictate my life. If you want me back in Sky City, remove my nam

ended the call. The tension in his post

ldn't you return? The Donovan Family h

toward him, silencing

-

Hazel sleeping on the floor stopped him in his tracks. Her f

ched. **Stub

ring briefly before settling again. Micheal carried her to the bed and gently l

fro

t his shirt as though she were clinging to a dream. Her leg

im. A spark of heat flared in his chest, surprising him. He

ightened, and she whispered throu

voice pierced through his carefully maintained det

over her and sat at the edge of the bed,

for this. She's no

his warmth lingered, Micheal felt something stir deep wit

're worth," he muttered under his breath, before fina