The night air still carried the smoky tang of grilled meat when Ash rolled his bike closer to the gate. The laughter and noise of the barbecue had faded into the background, replaced with the low rumble of the engine beneath him. Cordelia lingered near the compound’s steps, arms wrapped around herself as though warding off the evening chill. Her nerves hadn’t stopped buzzing since she’d walked in earlier, and now, with Ash offering her a ride home, the storm inside her chest refused to settle.
“C’mon,” he said, voice casual, though his eyes lingered longer than he probably realized. “I’ll take you back.”
Cordelia hesitated. Not because she didn’t want to—she did, more than she should—but because every second spent with him pulled her further into a world she wasn’t sure she could afford
