The silence wasn’t safe.It sat in the room like another body, thick and heavy, thicker than the steam that still clung to the glass, heavier than the heat rolling off skin. It didn’t feel empty at all. It felt crowded, filled with all the things left unsaid, with all the breaths that no one wanted to take too loud, with all the threats hanging in the space between them.Noa’s skin prickled, every hair standing on edge. He felt Alessio’s arm around him solid, anchoring, warm enough to remind him that he wasn’t alone. But it wasn’t enough. It never was. Because across the room, Julian leaned against the wall like he owned it, head tilted back just a little, eyes sharp even in the dimness. And just beside him, Enzo lit another cigarette, the tiny flame breaking the dark for a second before smoke curled up, twisting toward the ceiling as if the air wasn’t already choking them all.The burn of tobacco mixed with the damp heat, made the air thicker, heavier, something you could almost chew
Last Updated : 2025-10-01 Read more