It should have been easy.
That's what he'd told himself... in the car, during the walk, standing at her door.
What Lilith had whispered in promises of power and survival.
What every cold rationalization had been building toward.
Just once. Just necessary. Just survival.
She wants this. You're giving her what she needs. Everyone gets something.
The words had made sense then. Perfect sense.
Clinical. Clean. Manageable.
But now standing here in front of her, he understood how catastrophically wrong he'd been.
He looked at her, smiling... radiant, unguarded. It was the kind of smile that thanked him and dared him in the same breath.
Her eyes shone as she stepped closer, tilting her chin up to look at him with fearless longing.
"Thank you," she whispered, voice trembling.
"Thank you for coming. You don't know… how much I needed to see you. How much I've wanted this."
