Kael
The doors slid shut behind me with a soft hiss, and suddenly we were alone in the small space. I placed my hands on either side of her head, caging her in without touching her—my body forming a barrier between her and any escape.
"Kael—" Her voice was barely a whisper, and I could see her pulse hammering in the hollow of her throat.
"Please," I said quietly. "Just… let me say this. Let me apologize properly."
She was trembling, I realized. Not from fear—I could smell the difference—but from something else entirely. That same pull I felt, that tug behind my sternum, was clearly affecting her too. Her scent—earthy musk and jasmine—was overwhelming in the confined space, and Ajax was practically clawing at my insides to get closer to her.
But I didn't move. Neither did she.
