Rebirth: The Sweetest Ruin
She had a thousand questions, but the adrenaline of the night was finally ebbing, leaving a heavy, bone-deep weariness in its wake.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice softer now.
Elara forced a smile. “Yes, I’m fine.” After a brief silence, she gathered her courage. “Can I ask you something? Why did you help me? Don’t you hate Damien?”
Cassian’s lips tilted in a faint, dangerous smile. "I do..." he drawled, the words vibrating low in his throat.
Suddenly, he leaned forward, bridging the gap until his face was barely a hair’s breadth from hers. The scent of cedar and expensive bourbon enveloped her. “But I don’t hate you,” he murmured, his eyes scanning her flushed face.
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