The night air at the Amalfi Coast was thick with the scent of salt and blooming jasmine, but inside the master suite of the villa, the atmosphere was sterile and deceptive. The moon cast a silver blade of light across the silk sheets where Kai and Elea lay. To any observer, they were the picture of marital bliss, exhausted by the Italian sun and the luxury of their seclusion. However, beneath the calm surface, a mechanical pulse of deception was beating. Elea lay perfectly still, her body relaxed in a way that only years of tactical training could mimic. Beside her, Kai’s breathing was deep and even, though she knew better than to trust the silence of a predator.
"You are so quiet when you sleep, Kai," Elea had whispered hours earlier, testing the waters of his consciousness.
He had on
