The night air was cool when Amara slipped outside, escaping the warmth and music of the gala. She leaned against the balcony railing, trying to steady her racing heart.
The dance. The way Adrian had held her, the way his voice had wrapped around her like velvet and fire—it was too much. She couldn't think straight.
"Running away again?"
Her breath caught. She turned, and there he was—Adrian—his tie undone, his gaze sharp and unreadable, framed by the silver glow of moonlight.
"I just needed some air," she said softly, avoiding his eyes.
He stepped closer, his presence suffocating yet irresistible. "Air," he repeated, as if tasting the word. "And here I thought you were avoiding me."
Her laugh was shaky. "You're imagining things."
But Adrian wasn't smiling. His hand came to rest on the railing beside hers, trapping her between his body and the night sky. His voice dropped, low and dangerous.
"Do you know what it does to me, Amara? Watching you smile at someone else. Watching another man think— even for a second—that he has the right to your time, your attention… your heart."
Her chest tightened. "Adrian…"
"I told myself to stay away," he went on, his words breaking through the mask he usually wore. "That you deserve something simpler. Someone… safer. But every time I look at you, I forget why I should."
The silence between them was electric. His eyes searched hers, and for one terrifying, thrilling second, Amara thought he would finally say it—the words she both feared and longed to hear.
But then—he stopped. His jaw clenched, his gaze tearing away to the city lights below.
"You deserve better than me," he whispered, voice rough.
Her heart cracked at the edges. She reached for his sleeve, desperate to anchor him. "Adrian—"
He shook his head, stepping back, walls slamming back into place. The vulnerable storm in his eyes vanished, leaving only the cool mask she hated.
"Goodnight, Amara," he said, turning away before she could stop him.
And just like that—The confession that had almost been hers slipped into the night.