Barry’s jaw clenched, but his eyes didn’t flinch away from hers. The silence stretched, thick, suffocating. For a second, Lucy thought maybe he hadn’t heard her over the thump of bass leaking from the club floor.
But then his voice came, low and sharp, like ice cracking.
“Kitten.”
Just her name. Or the name he gave her. Not an answer. Not warmth. Just a reminder of who she was to him.
Lucy’s throat tightened. She shook her head, stepping back a little. “That’s not an answer. You can’t just...”
Barry’s hand shot out, catching her wrist. Not rough, not bruising, but firm enough that she stopped mid-step.
“You want me to say I see you?” His tone was calm, but it cut straight into her. He tugged her closer, until her chest brushed his suit. His eyes burned down at her, cold but sharp, li
