The hallway stretched ahead, quiet and endless, bathed in the low amber glow of sconces that traced the walls like a pulse. My bare feet made no sound against the marble, but my heartbeat did, loud enough that I was certain he could hear it.
Ceasar didn’t look back and didn’t speak, but the slow roll of his shoulders felt like a silent invitation. Or a warning. I couldn’t tell which and maybe that was the point.
At the end of the hall, he stopped before a black door. For a moment, he said nothing. His hand hovered over the handle, fingers brushing the metal before he paused. Then he looked back over his shoulder, catching me mid-step, suspended between hesitation and need.
His lips curved slightly, not quite a smile.
“You followed me,” Ceasar said, his voice somewhere between amusement
