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We were headed somewhere dangerous, but the momentum was cut off by Nikolas.

But I still couldn’t feel calm, regardless of how tired I was. The electric shock of not knowing if we were crossing a line was still vibrating through my body, stronger than it was before I’d left.

I felt wrung out, drained of all water save for a few droplets.

My brain never really got tired, always spinning like freshly greased wheels, but my mind felt empty and hollow.

I needed Lukas to come back.

He might have been the one who needed me to find sleep at all, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sink into the mattress and dream peacefully when he was beside me.

I was so hazy I could barely see myself in the mirror as I braided my hair and changed into a silk nightgown—the only clothing I could bear when Lukas’s heated skin was inches away.

I distracted myself for as long as I could, but Lukas still hadn’t come back to me. I just needed to go to sleep and start over, because this night felt far too similar to the night that made me flee. This time, I told myself, I could trust that Lukas was handling something important.

Eventually, I had no choice but to tuck into bed and try to find something close to rest. When I felt sleep beckon, I chased it with open arms, hoping that at least if I didn’t have Lukas, I could dream of him.

And for once, Morpheus was kind to me.

≈

I needed to get away from Lukas. Because if he kept touching me like that, placing his hands casually on my waist and my back, I was going to jump him.

Climb him in front of all these people and absolutely maul him.

I’d never been this turned on in my entire life. All I could think about is what it would feel like to finally kiss him. To feel his lips brush mine. Thread my hands through his hair and pull it out of its knot.

Grab onto the strands for support while he rocked into me.

I had to physically shake my head to get rid of the thoughts. It was a practice in self-restraint, making sure my face didn’t reflect how I felt inside.

I spotted Lukas across the room and the second my eyes landed on his form, his head snapped up. Like it was a reflex. His eyes caught mine and held on for three seconds of torture. My breath fled my lungs, but I was only more desperate for air when he broke eye contact to trail down my body.

I was going crazy. Officially, off the walls crazy, because I was sure he stopped at my breasts and lingered around my hips.

Yep, time to go.

I said goodbye to no one in particular and ran from that dinner party as fast as my feet would take me. Lukas and I’s comfortability with each other had taken a turn.

I wasn’t sure when. Honestly, it had probably been like this since I’d moved back from university. Because nothing had actually changed. He touched me the same amount. Flirted with me to make me blush. Called mebabyto make me like it.

I’d just finally opened my eyes to the possibility that he actually felt something. That maybe I’d become more to him than the girl he’d gotten stuck with.

It was terrifying. Because there was so much to lose now. If I lost his friendship, I didn’t know what I would do. No one quite understood me like Lukas did.

And I didn’t want to do anything to mess it up.

But I was tempted. So tempted.

The buzz of the warm summer air wasn’t helping either, kicking every sensation up a notch and giving me confidence to do things I wanted, but always hid.

I burst into our private dining room like a bull, heading straight for the bar cart. I didn’t even bother to turn on the lights, instead letting the room bask in a mellow glow from the other towers and buildings.

I popped the top off the whiskey Lukas’s mother had given us for our anniversary and took a sip straight from the bottle.

“Daphne.”

I sucked in a breath so quickly I almost choked on the alcohol in my throat.