He cut through the crowd himself, moving with a kind of quiet command that made people part around him without even realizing they were doing it. The air shifted, like the whole room adjusted to make space for him. His height, his presence, the way he carried himself with effortless certainty, it was impossible not to notice him. And Sofia hated, absolutely hated, how her heart hammered faster with every step he took toward her.
“Sofia Reyes,” he said, his voice smooth, carrying easily above the music. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Her grip tightened on her glass, fingers pressing into the cool surface until it almost slipped. Every instinct told her to remain calm, to pretend she wasn’t rattled, to act like this was just another social event and he was just another man. “Neither di
