Daika didn't just appear...she owned the space the second her boots hit the path. The lazy evening breeze stilled, cicadas hushed, even the water seemed to hold its breath.
Rika froze, caught in Kana's hand, heart slamming against her ribs like a trapped bird.
Kana immediately stepped forward, putting herself between them, her stance rigid. "You followed us."
Daika's smirk was sharp as broken glass. "Of course I did. You think you can sneak her away from me?" Her eyes slid past Kana, pinning Rika like a blade. "Kitten, you run but you don't hide. I'll always find you."
Rika's chest clenched. The word kitten curled through her body like smoke, shameful and hot. She pressed closer to Kana, trying to breathe, trying not to let her scent spill out and betray her.
Kana's hand brushed back, anchoring her. "You're done, Daika. She's not yours."
