Adrian stood there, rooted, while Cole’s words rippled through him like poison through veins.
Selene.
He repeated it in his head, tasting it, testing the sound. A name was supposed to make someone real. But instead, it made her feel more unreal.
His father’s eyes never left him. Watching. Measuring. “You should be careful,” Cole finally said, setting the glass down with a muted thud. “Girls who appear out of nowhere usually bring nothing but ruin.”
Adrian exhaled slowly, jaw tight. He wanted to laugh, to scoff, but instead all he felt was that name drilling deeper into his mind. Selene. She wasn’t ruin. She was different. She looked at him like she saw every weapon he carried—and wasn’t afraid.
Later, in his room, Adrian sat in the dark with only the faint hum of the city outside. His
