unmasked desire
Without it, there would be nothing between him and consequence.
“Are you sure you want this?” he asked quietly, one last chance offered not out of hope, but respect.
Elias didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
The words landed with quiet finality.
Alexander’s breath caught not because of fear, but because of something dangerously close to relief. He nodded once, more to himself than to Elias.
“Then I won’t lie to you anymore.”
He loosened the fastening slowly, painfully aware of every second stretching thin. The mask came away with a soft sound, almost intimate, and for the first time in this space, Alexander felt utterly unprotected.
Bab Populer