Reza
The moment stretches.
Too tight.
Too close.
The supply room feels smaller than it did seconds ago, the air thickening until it’s almost hard to breathe, charged, like it’s waiting for something to break. My pulse hammers in my ears, loud enough that I’m sure he can hear it. I keep my back to him, hands braced on the counter, breath shallow and uneven.
Don’t turn.
Starla prowls beneath my skin, restless, alert, coiled tight like a drawn bow.
- He’s right there.
- Yes, I think back, jaw tightening. That’s the problem.
Behind me, Aaron doesn’t move, but his presence presses in anyway, heavy and undeniable. The bond hums low and constant now, no longer content to sit quietly in the background. It pulls. Tugs. Demands attention.
I inhale slowly and turn.
He’s already watching me
