“Go back to leaving me alone,” I said curtly, and stepped out.He watched me as I walked away, grinning. “See ya in class!”Inside, the air of the dorm was warm, heavy with the faint smell of detergent and old wood, a safe, familiar contrast to the cold, polished steel of Zane’s car.I barely had ti
Liora The car door shut with a solid click, and before I could take a proper breath, the engine purred to life.I turned my head toward the window and didn’t look back.The long drive stretched ahead, the mansion shrinking behind us until the ornate gates closed us off from that world entirely. Out
LioraThe library door closed behind me with a soft click, and for a moment I just stood there, leaning my back against the cool wood.My cheeks were still warm, my hands tight around the worn book like it was the only solid thing in my world.Why did I feel so light? Like I wanted to go back in the
His shoulders shifted, like he regretted saying it out loud. “My parents… had other plans,” he added, and there was a faint edge of bitterness that hadn’t been there before. “They made sure I learned how to be what they needed me to be.”“A leader,” I said.“A leader,” he echoed, quieter this time.
LioraI alway liked libraries. They were a place my heart always felt quiet, peaceful, and you always left knowing more then you did before.But today, in this library, I felt anything but calm.And it was ticking me off.The usual soft silence felt alive, the whisper of air that smelled of paper an
For a heartbeat we just… stood there. Too close. His breath mingled with mine, the faint murmur of voices from the main rooms a muffled hum somewhere far away.My pulse was everywhere—ears, fingertips, throat.Neither of us said a word.I dropped my gaze first, then met it with a fierce glare.Callu