Leah walked out of Damien Cross’s studio with her jacket wrapped tightly around her, even though the evening breeze was mild. Her steps were steady, but her mind wasn’t. It was everywhere. Every click of her heels against the pavement seemed to echo with his words...“Relax your mouth… feel your body.”
Those simple instructions had slipped past her skin and burrowed inside her like seeds waiting to bloom. She had never thought a voice could follow her so closely. It wasn’t just what he said, it was how he said it. Calm. Slow. Like he was peeling away layers of her defenses without even raising a hand.
The world outside moved as usual, cars honking, people chatting, neon lights buzzing awake but for Leah, everything was muted. The memory of Damien’s steady gaze had cast a shadow on her eve
