Dominic dragged a long puff from the cigarette he held, letting the smoke blur the dusk like a veil over his face.
The balcony glass door was open behind him, letting in a faint breeze, but it did nothing to cool the wildfire that had settled into his bones.
His time with Grigor was counting.
Celeste's marriage to Landon was getting closer.
Everything was closing in on him, tightening like a rope around his neck. He hated the air tonight. He hated the way it clung to him with ghosts and guilt and things unsaid.
He wanted to ruin everything.
He wanted to walk into that fucking brunch, say it all out loud, and set fire to the illusion. Burn it down with every expectation they ever piled on him. Just so he could finally choose her.
But even if he could, he wouldn't. He won't be able to stand the look in Celeste's eyes if he does. She wouldn't understand why he was choosing cruelty over honesty.
He couldn't stand the way her eyes would splinter if he did.
