His words hit her like a punch, sharp and demanding. He was daring her to answer, to explain herself under the fierce weight of his gaze.
Cassandra didn't blink. She held his stare, steady and strong, feeling the moment stretch between them like a storm about to break.
Cassandra didn't hesitate. She took a slow, steady step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. She slid into the large chair directly across from Darius the very seat where the man who had threatened her had just been sitting. The chair was big and heavy looking, like it belonged to someone important and dangerous. For a moment, a small tightness spread across her chest, a quiet warning that she was stepping deeper into something risky. But she held her head high, forcing her body to show calm and confidence.
Darius's
