The echo of Evelyn’s rapid footsteps had long faded into the oppressive quiet of the underground parking lot, leaving behind only the low hum of the fluorescent lights and the persistent drip of an unseen leak.
Hunter stood utterly still, a rigid statue carved from granite and fury. His jaw was clenched so tight it ached, his hands still balled into fists by his sides, the faint tremor a testament to the raw emotion he barely contained.
That fire in her eyes—it hadn’t changed. If anything, the years had only stoked it, making it more fierce, more unyielding, more untouchable.
He had come looking for clarity, for reassurance that she wasn't stumbling blindly into something she couldn’t handle. He had come to offer the protection he still, despite everything, felt compelled to provide.
