Melissa’s POV
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Mom had disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing there with a champagne flute I didn’t remember picking up. The crystal felt cold against my palm.
Aria was across the room, trapped in conversation with an older couple who kept touching her arm possessively. Her smile was weird. Her eyes screamed for help.
And Gavin…
Gavin was making his way toward me through the crowd.
People stopped him every few steps. A handshake here. A brief word there. But his eyes never left mine. They were dark, intense burning with something I couldn’t quite name.
When he finally reached me, he didn’t touch me. He didn’t even stand too close. But the air between us felt charged.
“Melissa.” His voice was low. “You came.”
“
