The following afternoon, the house felt heavier, like the walls themselves were holding their breath. Lavinia had left for her salon appointment, leaving behind a trail of clipped remarks about “certain people needing to learn boundaries.” Aveline was folding laundry in the basement utility room, the warm scent of fabric softener doing nothing to calm the restless ache between her thighs. Every time she replayed the garage encounter, her body responded—nipples tightening, core fluttering.She didn’t hear Thorne until he was right behind her.“Aveline.”She spun, clutching a towel to her chest. He stood in the doorway, broad shoulders filling the frame, stormy blue eyes darker than usual. At twenty, he had his father’s height and strong jaw, but none of the controlled dominance—just raw, aching vulnerability.“I saw you last night,” he said quietly, voice cracking. “In the garage. With Dad.”Her stomach dropped. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.Thorne stepped closer, the
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