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We sit in comfortable silence as darkness creeps across the office. Outside, crickets begin their evening chorus. Somewhere in the house, a clock chimes the hour.

And in the back of my mind, Nicolo’s words echo like a prophecy.The past is never dead. It merely sleeps.

I press closer to Zeke, trying to ward off the chill of foreboding. Tomorrow we’ll put on happy faces and prepare for the future. Nicolo will soon be a problem for another day.

But tonight? Tonight I let myself acknowledge the fear coiling in my gut. The certainty that Nicolo’s visit has set something in motion we may not be able to stop.

Zeke’s heartbeat is steady under my ear, a reminder that whatever comes, we’ll face it together. Me and my vigilante husband against the world.

Let Nicolo come.Let him try to tear us apart.

He may have Zeke’s past, but I have his present—his future. And I’ll fight like hell to keep it.

The thought steadies me, gives me strength. Tomorrow will bring what it brings.

But for now, I’m exactly where I need to be.

Chapter 28

Tides of Change

Ezekiel

The sound of children’s laughter filters down the hallway from Leo’s birthday party, but all I can focus on is Eve’s heated skin under my palms as I press her against the wall. Her blue sundress rides up her thighs as I cage her between my arms, drinking in the sight of her—flushed cheeks, parted lips, eyes dark with desire.

“Zeke.” Her whisper holds a note of protest, but her body arches into mine. “We can’t … the party…”

I silence her with a bruising kiss, pouring days of pent-up need into the connection. I’ve been holding back, trying to give her space to prepare for this party. But watching her today—playing the perfect hostess, making Leo beam with joy, filling our home with light and laughter—it’s broken my restraint.

“The party can wait,” I growl against her mouth. My hands slide up her thighs, savoring her bare skin.Fuck. “Were you planning this? Walking around all day in this sexy dress?”

A wicked smile curves her lips. “Maybe.”

The sass in her tone makes my cock throb. I’ve learned to read Eve’s moods like a book over these past months, and right now she’s vibrating with the same desperate energy coursingthrough me. The calm we’ve found since Nicolo’s visit feels precarious—like the eye of a storm. We both know it won’t last.

But for now …

My fingers trace higher, finding the edge of her panties. Simple cotton, practical—so perfectlyEve. I stroke her through the fabric, feeling dampness already gathering.

“Someone could find us,” she protests weakly, even as her legs spread wider.

I grin against her neck. “That’s the point, love. The possibility of getting caught makes it more exciting.”

To prove my point, I push her panties aside and slide two fingers through her folds. She’s wet, her body betraying how much she wants this despite her token resistance.

“Fuck.” The word escapes her on a gasp as I circle her clit. “Zeke—”

“Shh.” I capture her mouth again, swallowing her moan as I press one finger inside her. So tight, so hot. My cock strains against my zipper but I ignore it. This is about her. “You have to be quiet, love. Unless you want everyone to hear what I’m doing to you.”

She bites her lip, trying to stifle her sounds as I add a second finger. Her inner walls clench around me, drawing me deeper. I curl my fingers, finding that spot that makes her squirm.

“That’s it,” I murmur, watching her face as pleasure overtakes her. “Let me see you fall apart.”

Her head falls back against the wall with a soft thud. I take advantage of the exposed line of her throat, trailing kisses down to where her pulse races beneath delicate skin. When I scrape my teeth over her hammering heartbeat, she jerks against me with a strangled cry.

“Careful now.” I pinch her nipple through the thin fabric of her dress, a sharp reminder. “What did I say about being quiet?”

She glares at me, all fiery defiance even with my fingers buried inside her. God, I love that look. It makes me want to push her further, see how far I can take her before she breaks.