The silence of the house was absolute, but it vibrated with the kinetic energy they had brought in from the cold. The moment the door clicked shut, the world outside- Archer’s fury, Eliza’s suspicion, and the ticking clock of the deployment; was incinerated.
Victor didn't wait. His hands were large and calloused, moving with deliberate precision as he found the hidden zipper at the along her side. The sound of it sliding down was a sharp hiss in the dark. The liquid gold silk, which had caused a scandal only an hour ago, gave way to gravity. It slithered down her hips, pooling at her feet in a shimmering heap of discarded armor. Briar stood before him in nothing but sheer lace and the moonlight, her skin pale and glowing like fine porcelain.
Victor let out a breath that sounded like a
