Page 64 of Sadistic

"I can?—"

"I know you can. I'm offering."

She turns in my arms, studying my face. "Okay."

Getting dressed feels like putting armor back on.

By the time we're ready to leave and have finished our coffees, we're back to being Doran and Revna instead of whoever we were last night.

The elevator ride down is nothing like the one up.

She stands apart from me, walls rebuilding with each floor we descend.

I want to pull her close, but I respect the distance.

Last night was a gift—I won't ruin it by pushing for more than she's ready to give.

"Regrets?" I ask as we reach the parking garage.

"No." She meets my eyes, and I see truth there. "But that doesn't make this simple."

"I never expected anything simple."

"Good. Because complicated doesn't begin to cover what we are."

I drive her home as the sun continues to rise, painting the city in shades of gold and possibility. She's quiet, processing, and I let her.

The radio plays softly—some morning show host talking about normal things like traffic and weather, oblivious to the fundamental shift in my universe.

"Last night—" she starts as I pull into the driveway.

"Happened. Will happen again if you'll let it."

"You're very sure of yourself."

"I'm sure of us." I catch her hand before she can leave. "Twelve days, Revna. We can make them count."

She leans across the console and kisses me, quick but intense. "We'll see."

Then she's gone, disappearing into Everly’s house while I sit in the car like a teenager after his first date.

Except I'm not a teenager, and this is far more than a date.

My phone rings—Mikhail, probably wondering why I haven't checked in yet.

I ignore it. For once, the empire can wait.

Twelve days left, and now I know what I've been missing by watching from a distance instead of touching.

Twelve days to convince her that choosing me isn't just about duty or arrangement.

Twelve days to prove that the boy who bought a horse and the man who'd burn the world for her are the same person.

And that maybe, just maybe, that's exactly who she needs.

I finally answer on the fifth ring. "What?"

"We have a problem," Mikhail says. "Njal's missing."