CLAUDE
I wasn't even sure if I responded. My mind was still tangled in the heat of his words, the press of his mouth, the way he always managed to sink his claws into me without even trying.
But then my gaze flicked past him. To the waiting car. To Ava.
Fuck. This was a mess.
I tore my tie loose as I walked over, shoving down the chaos twisting in my chest. The moment I slid into the back seat, Ava turned from the window, her stare burning into me.
"Unbelievable."
I didn't answer.
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head before pinning me with a look. "You're going to regret that."
I frowned, the tiredness slipping deep in my bones. Maybe I wouldn't. Maybe, if she finally rejected me—finally gave me a way out—it would be the best f*****g thing that could happen to me
