Tani walked in buzzing from what had gone down earlier.
"He must be someone huge," she told Rhea, laughing as she went through the day's earnings on her phone.
"You should've seen the crowd. If I'd known, I'd have baked him a crown-shaped cake."
Rhea forced a chuckle. "I hope your day was everything you wanted."
"Of course," Tani said, smiling like a child seeing fireworks for the first time.
"Today felt like a small vacation away from my life. Thank you, Rhea."
"I'm happy you enjoyed it," Rhea replied, her gaze a little too still.
Tani poured two glasses of cheap wine and raised hers. "Here's to rent paid early and birthdays that don't suck."
They clinked cups. To anyone watching, they looked like content sisters but only one was grateful and the other quietly schemed.
When bedtime came, Tani slipped into bed without the usual weight that followed her birthdays. For once, she felt light. Loved. Maybe, she thought, this year really would be different.
As she drifted into sleep, the Veil stirred elsewhere.
Luca felt it first, the shift in the air, the hush before rain.
When she started dozing off, something shifted behind the Veil - over there.
Luka sensed it earlier - pressure dropping, silence thickening like storm's edge creeping near.
He spotted her near the window, moonbeams slipping across her uncovered arms as if made of soft cloth.
He moved up close, arms sliding around her middle, breath warm on her skin as he spoke near her neck
"Happy birthday, beautiful."
She gave a quiet laugh while facing his way. "You remembered."
"I always remember," he said, voice low and rough.
"How could I forget?"
His thumb brushed her mouth, outlining each curve as if storing the feel in his mind. While doing so, he held still - almost frozen - the moment stretching longer than expected. Not a word passed between them, just that quiet touch saying everything instead.
"You're not someone a man forgets,"he whispered, then pulled her into a kiss.
The kiss grew stronger when she grabbed his hand, holding on tight so he wouldn't leave.
"Stay," she whispered.
He grinned, pulling out a tiny velvet case from his pocket. In it rested a silver necklace, the charm carved with fine letters - E followed by R, inside an infinity.
"For you," he said, "Now you'll always carry a piece of us."
She turned her back towards him as he wore it for her, each touch and stroke igniting the flames of desire in them. Without warning his hands found her waist, warm and real. He pulled her closer with the ease only repetition could mimic.
He noticed how her dress clung to her like a second skin, his pulse became faster.
He stopped thinking and reached for her again. He brushed his thumb over the corners of her mouth tentatively.
He chuckled, as he undressed her, staring at her with so much intensity, she felt naked already. She attempted to turn her face, as the heat crept up in between her legs and cheeks.
"Dont look away " He commanded, daring her to look.
She obeyed meekly and watched him undress her like he was unwrapping a gift.
He whispered sweet nothing to her, low, rough before his mouth found hers again. He caressed her breast, as he suckled on the other, she let out a sigh, as she trembled under his touch.
Slowly his fingers found the soft mound in between her legs and began his assault.
A moan escaped her mouth as she opened her legs more, granting better access to him.
She started to pull him towards her now, impatient, as he swallowed her moans with his kisses.
"Not so soon my sweet" he said watching her, enjoying all her reactions to the pleasure he gave her.
"Fuck! You're so beautiful" he whispered into her ears. She touched him back like she was learning a language she already knew.
He groaned as he took her hands in his temporarily putting her on a time out.
Tonight was all about pleasing her. He went down on her, without warning and she almost lost it. She'd started making soft sounds - each one pushing him closer to the edge.
He licked her - she gasped, grinding closer. His mouth moved slow but sharp, wrecking every nerve until her back arched hard, shaking through the surge, breath gone wild from how good it felt.
He came back up for air himself and kissed her, it felt like remembering, as a deep groan escaped his lips, spilling into his waking world.
She was exhilarated but still wanting more, despite the way he'd pleasured her.
"Ready for me?" He was asked.
She only nodded, pupils dilated, too spent for speech.
He looked deep into her soul, as he closed the distance between them swiftly in one motion. The world melted away as need overtook them again. There was no regret, just them, their needs and urges.
She let out a cry of pleasure as he plunged deeper and deeper into her. Two bodies moved rhythmically, groaning, moaning and scratching till he couldn't hold back anymore. He gave all of him to her.
They shattered together, the tension unravelling into a quiet breathless sighs on their respective beds.
Besides him lay Elara, eyes open in the dark, watching and observing with disgust written all over her face.
She'd invited herself over after the corporate event, hoping to rekindle what was long gone. A decision she now regretted.
He was still asleep beside her, breathing heavy, his body moving with dream bound pleasure.
She'd heard this low grunts before, but she knew he wasn't dreaming about her.
Her jaw tightened. For a sad long minute as she just watched him, hoping for him to say her name.
He didn't.
The phone on the nightstand buzzed. She slipped from the bed, grateful for the distraction, and answered without speaking.
"Do you see them?" Rhea's voice purred through the receiver.
Elara's silence was enough.
"They almost met physically today," Rhea continued. "Good thing you buzzed me in. It still seems like it wasn't enough to stop the memory of tonight."
"I know," Elara said tightly. "We don't have much time before he starts looking for her. Keep her away, Rhea. We can't let this lifetime be the one they remember."
The line went dead.
Rhea set her phone aside and whispered into the dark,
"Challenge accepted."
Elara stayed back in the bathroom, holding the sink so tight her knuckles went pale.
She threw on her clothes in a rush, jotted down a quick message 'Got an early start. Will call later' and left before anyone noticed.
When Luca finally opened his eyes, the space felt quiet while the spot beside him had lost its warmth long ago.
He checked the clock as he stretched satisfied.
The sex dream slipped fast from his mind - the rush, the heat, whatever else had been there. He closed his eyes, reaching for it, still aware it wouldn't come back. You couldn't blame a man for trying.
He stood up, filled his cup with coffee while gripping the folded note, then looked at the artwork on the opposite wall and everything clicked right there.
He still couldn't quite place her, but the woman from yesterday's elevator felt strangely familiar, though he'd only glimpsed part of her face. There was that same quiet pull in the chest.
He let out a breath exhaling slowly.
"Could it be?" he murmured, heart beating faster than he was comfortable with. In one breath, he turned away, telling himself he had meetings, decisions, numbers, real things to hold on to, instead of chasing shadows and in the other, he absolutely hated not knowing.
The silence dared him to find out.
He reached for his phone, taking the first step of many more to come. "Amira," he said when his assistant answered groggily.
"Find out who handled yesterday's catering. The baker, specifically."