When his eyes finally found me again, I froze. They were still dark, but softer now, almost reverent, like I had just done something he couldn’t explain. His thumb brushed across my cheek, smearing the wetness there without care. The simple gesture made me shiver again, my heart pounding faster, because it didn’t feel cruel—it felt… intimate.

He tilted his head slightly, watching me so carefully that I squirmed. His voice dropped lower, curious and raw. “Tell me something, little ...