Luca's mask dropped, but it was just for a second.
His eyes went glassy. His throat moved like he was swallowing down barbed wire. “I… I can’t give you the full truth. Not yet, Mira.”
My brows furrowed, heart beginning to pound again. “But you just said…”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, stepping closer. “What I can tell you is... I did something… but it was long time ago, before I even met you. I was trying to protect someone I loved, but… it put you in danger.”
“What does that mean?” My voice trembled now. “Why would you hide something like that?”
“Because if you knew... you might hate me.”
His hand brushed my wrist, and suddenly, the silence between us wasn’t just about fear—it was about all the things left unsaid.
I didn’t pull away.
He stepped closer. “Please believe me when I say t
