Power didn’t quiet the bond.
It sharpened it.
That night, Ari couldn’t sleep. The city hummed too loudly, the moon tugging like a lover who hadn’t been dismissed—only delayed.
She found Dante on the rooftop.
He didn’t turn when she approached. “You shouldn’t be near me right now.”
She stopped a foot away. “Why?”
“Because I want you,” he said simply. “And I don’t know what that means anymore.”
The honesty punched the air from her lungs.
“I choose you,” she said softly.
He turned then—eyes dark, restraint cracking. “That’s the one thing you can’t give lightly.”
“I’m not giving,” she whispered. “I’m standing.”
The bond surged—hot, electric.
He touched her—just her wrist.
The contact detonated.
Heat flooded her veins, desire laced with danger. For a heartbeat, the city leaned in,
