The moon hung low over the treetops, its silver glow spilling through the forest canopy and painting the path ahead in pale light. Every sound—the crunch of leaves underfoot, the whisper of wind through branches—seemed magnified in the stillness.
Lena walked ahead, her bare arms prickling with goosebumps, though it wasn’t from the cold. Dominic’s presence behind her was a steady, unyielding shadow—one that pressed against her senses even without touching her. She could feel his eyes on her, heavy and unreadable, as though he was peeling away every layer of her thoughts.
“You’re trembling,” he said quietly.
“I’m not,” she lied, refusing to turn back.
He was silent for a beat, then closed the distance between them, his hand brushing against hers—not by accident. “You are,” he murmured, h
