Elena's Point Of View

I stared at him for a long moment.

The air between us crackled… sharp, electric, charged with something neither of us dared to name. He stood there, framed by the soft glow of the room’s chandelier, his shirt slightly rumpled, sleeves rolled to the elbows, dark veins tracing down his forearms like danger personified. His jaw was tight, his eyes focused solely on me, like I was a puzzle he couldn’t wait to take apart piece by piece.

I hated how composed he looked. ...