Phoenix turned back to him, her arms dropping to her sides. "Let's say I agree to this… arrangement," she began cautiously. "What happens if I burn you in the process?"
Cyrus's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with a challenge. "Then I guess I'll see how much heat I can handle."
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she studied him, her expression guarded. "You think you can handle me?"
He stood then, moving toward her with slow, deliberate steps until he was standing just a breath away. He towered over her, as he leaned in and trapped Phoenix between his arms.
Cyrus's presence was overwhelming, but she didn't flinch. If anything, she tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze with an intensity that matched his own.
"I don't think," he said, his voice low and steady. "I know."
The air between them crackled, heavy with tension. For a moment, neither of them moved, neither of them spoke, and the only sound was the pounding of her heart in her ears.
