Ryan pulled her out of the ballroom like a storm.
Not a word. Not a glance back. Just the burning grip of his hand locked around hers as he carved a path through murmuring guests and flashing stares. His stride was sharp, his jaw rigid, the air around him coiled so tightly that no one dared step in his way.
Down the marble steps. Past chauffeurs craning to watch. Into the night where cameras clicked in the distance, hungry for spectacle.
The car door opened. Ryan’s hand lingered on hers for one more pulse before he released it, motioning her inside.
Eve hesitated a beat, her dress pooling like ink around her legs, then slid in without a word.
The ride began in silence. The city lights streaked past, cold and blinding against the tinted windows. His knuckles whitened on the wheel, tend
