Dominic:
“Dane.”
His name cut across the clearing, sharp and final. He froze mid-step, half-swallowed by the night’s shadow, before turning back toward me. His eyes burned like wildfire—half grief, half rage. His chest heaved, each breath dragging out of him like it cost too much to draw.
“This ends here,” I said, my voice low but carrying. “Whatever you think you had with her, whatever you’re still chasing—it doesn’t give you the right to take from her. Not her memory. Not her choice.”
His lip curled, fists clenching so tightly his knuckles went pale. “Force it? You arrogant bastard. I don’t have to force anything. She was mine before you ever breathed her name.”
I took a step closer, meeting his glare without flinching. “You think the past permits you now? You think memory outweighs
