The room felt smaller with Luca standing so close. His golden eyes burned into mine, searching, testing. I had been careful—so careful—but did he know? Had he overheard my conversation with Caius? Every breath I took felt heavy, and the weight of his presence pressed against my already frayed nerves.
“You’re restless,” Luca said, his voice smooth yet edged with something darker. He trailed a single finger over the wooden table beside me, his gaze never leaving mine. “Why?”
I forced my muscles to relax, summoning the cool indifference I had learned to wear like armor. “I just needed air,” I replied, keeping my voice steady.
His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smirk but wasn’t friendly either. “And you thought the farthest part of the estate was the best place for that?”
I
