Raina.
Her name alone made my stomach twist.
Lucien bowed quickly before running off, barking orders.
Maximus turned to me again, his gaze burning into mine.
“We need to talk,” he said quietly.
The words hit me like a punch—not because of what he said, but how he said it. Desperate. Raw. Like talking to me was suddenly more important than breathing.
Before I could respond—before I could even think—he scooped me into his arms.
“Maximus—!” I grabbed his shoulders instinctively. “Put me down!”
He didn’t.
He didn’t even slow.
He looked down at me, and the pain in his eyes made my breath stop. “Please,” he whispered, voice rough. “For once, don’t fight me.”
I froze.
Completely.
Something in his voice—something quiet and fragile—cut straight into me. I stopped struggling. His arms t
