A kiss before the betrayal

home wa

he tension in the air between them. He hadn't asked why she'd been distracted at the par

had n

casionally glanced at her, as if w

woul

t

he brought up the conversation with Victor.

as never one

His voice was

d before answe

ft his lips. "You expe

. "I don't expect you to believe anything, Damian. But if you'r

e before Victor spoke to you.

He was always watch

eat. "Maybe I just don

d for a fraction of a second before

d the window. "C

f silenc

"That's funny. Because my instinct tells

ulse

't ready

t

d, turning back to him. "This isn'

gates parting for them. Damian pulled into the long

turned

mean I enjoy b

ers digging into her lap. "And

t there was something dangerous

ter now, but no less intense. "But if someone i

an down h

had no

hether to push further or drop it. But someth

get too comfortable,"

ft, but she could see it-a fli

hing

tonight, he looked

as quickly,

was back

ied her more th

ion unreadable, but ins

e not to get t

ad, louder than the silenc

ct

d man. The only person he had

say something l

trying to do

hen someone was lying, when they were hiding something. It was a skill th

t time in years, he f

eone who had always been by his side. Someone who had sav

e for so long that Damian had n

il

at Victor had negative

e car seat, exhaling slowly a

as just testing Elena, pushing her to see how much she could han

ce had trembled, the way her fingers ha

't easil

ss times. She had walked into his world-his

by something Victor h

should

might be working agai

inka

ye

t his empire by

Not his enemies. Not even

t was a liability-one that could be e

mistake in t

guard down with

twisted at

years, a sliver of dou

ated

the idea that someone he had consid

that Elena had been the on

his jaw, forcing

o

a threat. He

d control meant eliminating weakness, elimi

wouldn'

ld

finally said, his voi

her expression caut

er gaze.

d in her eyes-fear

sn't

knew on

g something from hi

was playin

make sure he