The Devil In White
Fear power.
He looked at me, his eyes sharp. “Love makes men weak,” he said, low and dangerous.
I swallowed, my chest tightening. “No,” I said. “Love makes us human.”
He did not respond. His silence was enough to remind me: the world we lived in did not forgive weakness.
The villa smelled of white roses and sea salt. Music floated through the gardens, soft violin notes that should have made the day feel magical. And it did, but the magic belonged to her, not to me.