Harper
I pulled in a breath.
"On the sofa. When I said it was bond chemistry." My voice came out steadier than I expected. "That was a lie."
The training room hummed. Vane didn't move.
"What happened at that door wasn't science. I don't know what it was. But I know it wasn't what I told you."
His eyes stayed locked on mine. Gold cracking through amber, spreading like fault lines.
"I've never done this before." The words kept coming, and I let them. "Any of it. I was ten when Red Howl hit. After that it was shelters and jobs and keeping my sister alive. I've never been with anyone. Never even come close. So when you kissed me and I felt all of that, I panicked, and I picked the safest explanation I could find and shoved everything into it." I swallowed. "If that hurt you, I'm sorry."
