The drive was quiet at first.
Not uncomfortable — just charged. Warm. Soft. The kind of silence that felt like a blanket instead of a wall.
Kya sat in the passenger seat, hands folded on her lap, sneaking glances at Julian every few seconds. She tried to be subtle. She failed.
Julian noticed every single one.
He didn’t comment or tease her.
He just let the corner of his mouth lift in that barely‑there smirk that made her stomach flip.
He drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on the console between them. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing the veins on his forearms. The sunlight hit his profile just right — sharp jaw, straight nose, lashes too long for someone who glared for a living.
Kya looked away quickly.
Julian chuckled under his breath. “You can stare.
