Harri

unded in my ears, but I forced myself to breathe evenly. Damian stood a step

d, but it had nothing to do with the smooth plastic in my palm. It was him. The

t," he said, voice quiet

mind was tangled in the knots of whatever this was. Finally, I gave a smal

s own room, but he didn't move. Instead, he stood in the hallw

. "Goodnigh

hen, with the slightest dip of his

tension lingered, wrapping around

he night replayed in my mind, the small shifts in our usual routine, the way he had looked at me-no

heat spreading through my chest. Sleep

e, glittering under the moonlight. The city pulsed with life, even this late at night. I had i

the dream I had

n the neighborin

he most unguarded I had ever seen him. No phone, no distractions. Ju

se he turned his head slightly, meeti

r of u

et stretching, neither

e inside. Should

idn

n Cal

ding me. Work had always been my focus, my anchor. Paris should have b

shake the weight of Lily's pre

ne to sleep.

it wasn't empty. It crackled

arp edges of her usual professionalism had softened, but her defiance remained. The way she had

itated around m

osity flickering in her eyes. "Do

pulled at my l

unexpected. "I try.

cross her face, the way she looked at Paris like she

or more than just busine

unning along the metal

g about that answer, the quiet honest

I said. "Before the mee

across her face.

ess to me if yo

smiled. "Of course. Woul

conversation wrapped up neatly, a retu

r the shift, the moment one of us would break away. Neither of us did. Pari