The black SUV stopped so abruptly outside the restaurant that the tires gave a faint protesting screech against the pavement.
The moment his feet touched the ground, his senses expanded automatically, scanning the surroundings with the predatory precision that had been drilled into him since childhood. The street smelled of rain-soaked asphalt, fried food drifting from nearby shops, and the constant hum of the city.
But beneath it all—
He searched for one scent.
Lilac.
His jaw tightened.
Not here.
Which meant she was still inside.
Without wasting another second, he pushed through the restaurant doors.
The warm noise of the lunch rush flooded over him instantly. Voices, clattering plates, hurried footsteps, the smell of spices and grilled meat — the usual chaos of a busy restaurant
