Lyra's POV
I stared at him in disbelief, my cheeks burning in humiliation. Was he seriously threatening me? What has gotten into him? Years ago, Ethan couldn't even tolerate being in the same room as me without looking like he'd rather tear his own throat out. Now he stood there like he owned the air I breathed—calm, composed, terrifyingly sure of himself.
His eyes were fixed on me with a mixture of boredom and something else I couldn't name. Appraisal, maybe. Possession. It made my skin prickle. I looked away, unable to hold that intense gaze for more than a few seconds.
"Look," he said, breaking the silence, his voice low and even, "I'm not asking you to be my mistress, nor do I have any intention of sleeping with you".
My head snapped back up. Heat flooded my face at the b
