in my

dn't l

able by the window, chipped wood, sunlight through the cracks in the blinds like prison

nd anoth

k with me to make the guy move on. He was too tired for drama,

by the way it creaked none of that cheap synthetic crap t

essive. The kind of smell that scream

aped against his nerve

nd.

he l

ntly regr

e, and the sort of presence that made every instinct in Noa's body scream danger. He wore black. Black coat, bl

the clothes. I

weapon, calculated and steady. A smile curved on the man's mouth s

the man said. "And

se kicking up like a r

h

at name. E

with extra blood. Drugs, weapons, trafficking hell, rumors said even some of

ly, he wante

but he felt the faint tremor underneath. His gut told h

ide had ot

, voice sharp, "you just

le

e. Noa heard a fork clatter to the floor somewhere behin

s smile

he said, voice smooth but sharp like a knife pr

linch. Didn'

eady made peace with whatever

His eyes glinted, mouth twitching like he'd

smell the cologne again now laced with something dark

ike

ed. "Good

ead, smile curling slow an

and deadly grace. He turned, coat flaring l

t. The unspoken relief, the c

omeone whisper

at real

fee with fingers that

and took a long drink e

that was th

was

opped a pile of philosophy books five minutes before close, and by the

vement, turning everything into a blurry mess, like the whole city had been half-erase Puddles caught bits of neon and head

ll got in. Sharp. Rude. Lik

rned the volume down. Just the low hiss of tires on wet pavement, a cab honking way off

hing and the cold cutting through his j

buzzed in

pped w

or a s

ri

about Moretti

Didn't want to picture those eyes again. Or that voi

s path. Tried to focus on the rhythm of his steps, th

umb. Fingers stiff. He climbed the stairs two at a

d into

rn

r creak

Noa

was sitting on

they've never been told no. One arm draped over the back of the couch like he owned it. A crystal

ou long

up into his throat, poundi

, eyes wide. "What the

how we ended things earlier," he said, smooth as

like he was halluc

N

final. It carried weight. Like

e. That doesn't

n't c

Not fast. Just... inevitable. Graceful and terrifying. He mov

uld," he

bumped into the doorfr

people's homes o

en I wan

Not just on his skin under

d, though it sounded more lik

ia

ay. His gaze locked on Noa's mouth like he was d

the edge of Noa's jaw. Light touch. B

ou," Alessio said. "

th caught.

ck

ed. "Careful, Noa. Every time

one of yo

s voice dropped to a m

ing. It was a fucking seduction, a

lips brushing the

you. One wa

is throat was dry. He

re how his body d

ll," he w

s curved. "Al

hing in his eyes sharp, almost hungry. Like h

oon," he said, voice

that, he tur

hut behind him. No

fi

one had cut his strings. His hands sh

u

u

n so muc