Brianna moved aside to let him pass, then realized he couldn't see her. "Just follow my voice," she said, keeping it cool and steady.
His hand reached out in the dark, searching for direction — and closed over something full and… he squeezed, soft.
His eyes, useless in the dark, widened. He knew exactly what he was holding!
Before he could retreat—"Surprise, Broth—!"
Brianna's face didn't just turn red; it burned. She stood entirely rooted to the spot, the sensation of Lucian's hand still momentarily fused to her skin, while the "surprise" welcome banquet looked on from the doorway.
The silence was so thick one could hear the hum of the AC.
Lucian pulled his hand back as if he had collided with live voltage. His face remained a mask of glacial calm, but the vein in his temple was throbbing violently against his pale skin.
He couldn't look at the crowd. He looked at Brianna, whose eyes were shooting enough "I-will-kill-you" daggers to fill an armory.
