Narda's POV
But I dared.
I didn't stop just because his voice had dropped into that dangerous growl that used to shut everyone else up. I didn't stop even when the air between us thickened, heavy enough to choke on, every molecule charged with tension.
"You're scared, Axle," I said, locking eyes with him and refusing to blink, refusing to give him the satisfaction of my silence. "You're terrified of feeling anything that might mean you're moving on."
His jaw clenched so hard I could hear the faint grind of his teeth. The muscle in his neck jumped, taut and straining. His fists curled at his sides, knuckles pale, and for one wild second I thought he might actually yell… something raw and feral waiting to be unleashed.
Instead, he stepped closer, voice like ice scraping over
