Axle's POV
The moment I heard my name, I froze.
"Axle?"
My arms loosened from around Narda. Her warmth, her quiet comfort… gone in a blink. I turned slowly, shoulders tight, my jaw clenched harder than I realized.
Damien.
And beside him was Emily.
They were closer than I expected. Too close. And the moment their eyes landed on Narda, they stopped. Not just in their steps, but in everything. Their eyes widened, and I knew. I knew exactly what that look was. It wasn't confusion. It was recognition. A recognition I'd been avoiding. One I couldn't ignore anymore.
I stood.
"Damien. What are you doing here?"
He blinked, then cleared his throat, his gaze flickering again to Narda before returning to me. "We were coming from dinner. Thought we'd drop by, see how Liam's
