Ava's moment of distraction was interrupted by a text. Her hands shook slightly as she read it:
"She's too close. You know what to do. —A"
Her stomach sank. Aurora.
Lucien noticed immediately, his eyes narrowing. "Who sent that?"
"Someone named Aurora," Ava replied, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.
Lucien's expression darkened. "She's more dangerous than you realize. And now she knows you're remembering."
Ava's chest tightened. "What does that mean?"
"It means she's going to do everything she can to get those memories back. And she won't care who gets hurt."
The tension between them was suffocating. Ava glanced at him, heart pounding—not from fear alone, but from the proximity, the electricity, the dark heat between them.
Lucien stepped closer, brushing a hand lightly against her waist. "Stay close," he whispered. "I won't let her touch you."