Chapter 7: The Return
Cristoff arrives without warning.
His smile is practiced.
Perfect.
Deadly.
"My wife," he says, pulling her into his side like a possession.
Tristana goes still.
Justin watches from across the room, every muscle locked.
He sees the subtle flinch.
The way her fingers curl inward.
The way her scent shifts—fear, sharp and immediate.
And suddenly—
Everything makes sense.