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She had nowhere to escape. Nowhere to hide.

“You look flustered.” He tilted his head.

“Just counting down the days until we’re not locked in a cell together,” she replied, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.

“You didn’t seem to mind being close to me in the club,” he remarked.

“I thought we were both trying toforgetthat night.”

“And how’s that worked out for you?” The glint in Takeshi’s eyes and the velvet thickness of his voice made her pulse race.

She was immediately brought back to that moment where the music wove through them like living art. Their inhibitions vanquished into thin air and for a few blissful minutes, she’d felt unshackled to the world around her.

Until it was all snatched away.

“Ask me next week and I’m sure I won’t even remember.”

If she repeated it enough, it might actually come true.

Takeshi’s expression, on the other hand, didn’t shift, almost like he expected nothing less.

“What about you?” she asked in a low voice, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

“Did I forget?” A bitter chuckle escaped him. “Unfortunately, no. I don’t think there’s any world where I could ever forget you. No matter what. Not even if I tried. And believe me, I have.”

The words hung in the air like a forbidden lullaby.

Despite the endless resentment, something unspoken persisted.

Maybe it was the seconds between each breath. Or the way their eyes found each other in the unintentional moments.

But that didn’t mean she enjoyed it. It didn’t mean hearts had a right to feel without your permission.

“And I’m sure that must be terrible.” Her voice went flat, trying to batter down those twisted emotions.

“It has its moments.” The corner of his lips twitched in a secret joke—one she wasn’t privy to. “But you can’t expect me to believe the whole night was unbearable for you.”

“I may have had fun dancing.” Khalani glanced away, not wanting to admit that before everything fell apart, it was one of the best nights of her life.

“I know. I would’ve kept watching but then that asshole came up and grabbed you.” Takeshi’s voice was calm, but she noticedthe muscles in his forearms tightening, like the damage he inflicted wasn’t nearly strong enough.

“Yeah, well, you were only a marginally better dance partner,” she lied.

“Is that why you grinded against me like it was your last night alive?”

“A momentary lapse in judgment,” she countered.

“It’s not the first time you enjoyed being in my arms.”

“Turns out I specialize in poor decision making.”

Khalani was unable to contain the grin forming. Takeshi’s lip quirked up too. And for the first time since they’d been captured, she was able to breathe a little easier as they simply stared at each other in companiable silence.

She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “Have you ever thought about what your life would’ve been like if you hadn’t become a guard?”

Takeshi silently stared past her, lost in thought as the tiny bulb of light flickered over his silky hair.

She felt the urge to tuck one piece back so she could see his granite eyes better, but Khalani held her wrists close, retreating into herself before she did something senseless.