Dante's POV
“Because it wouldn’t be honest,” I replied instead.
Her hand slipped away from mine as if my skin suddenly burned. She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms like she was trying to hold herself together. When she spoke again, her voice was thin.
“So you’re not angry… but you won’t even pretend.”
“That’s not—”
“Stop,” she cuts in sharply. “Just stop.”
I felt the shift instantly. The air turned sharp, brittle. “Clarissa—”
“Pull the car over.”
I hesitated. “It’s not exactly safe.”
“Pull the car over.”
The steel in her voice left no room for argument. I guided the car to the side of the road and parked beneath a flickering streetlamp. The engine ticked softly as it cooled , the only sound between us.
She reached for the door handle.
“You don’t have to do this,” I s
