Katherine’s POV
The fork slipped in my hand the moment I saw him.
Arius.
My heart stopped, breath caught in my throat. For a second, I thought I was hallucinating… that maybe my mind was still trapped in last night, still drunk on his scent, his touch, the way he bound me until I thought I’d break. But no… this wasn’t a dream. He was here. Walking into the Salvador dining room like he owned the air, like every shadow bent itself to him.
And my entire body froze.
My fingers shook around the silver fork, and I prayed no one noticed. Steven, sitting right beside me, smiled wide and proud, his arm casually resting against the back of my chair as though he wanted to show me off. His warmth pressed against me, so solid, so certain — the complete opposite of what I felt inside.
Arius’s grey
