Ella’s back was pressed against the cold wall, her heart hammering in her chest. Valen was too close, his presence overwhelming, his eyes burning with something raw and untamed. She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing, but it was useless. The air between them felt electric, charged with an intensity she couldn’t escape.

“You can’t just say things like that,” Ella whispered, her voice trembling. She didn’t even recognize her own tone—half-defiant, ...