The moment I stepped into the clearing again, I felt it—the pull, the gravity of Ash’s presence. He was leaning against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest, his crimson eyes glinting with mischief and something far more dangerous. The moonlight draped over him, highlighting the sharp angles of his face, the unruly strands of his dark hair that framed a smile as sharp as the blade he’d used earlier.
“Cherub,” he drawled, his voice a low, velvety purr that sent a shiver racing down my spine. “You’re back sooner than I expected.”
“We need to talk,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I kept my gaze locked on his, unwilling to let him see the uncertainty flickering beneath my surface.
He tilted his head, his smile softening into something almost tender. “Of course. But tell me, Lux,
