And yet, beneath the humor, warmth stirred in her chest. It was almost… cute. Endearing, even. The old Zion would never have allowed himself to fall so low, not even for her. But here he was, willingly setting aside his pride, letting his dignity crumble, just to coax a smile from her.
That realization softened her heart. As she laughed, Zion only smiled helplessly back at her, his emerald eyes shimmering with quiet devotion, while his thumb kept gently brushing away her tears.
"Princess! This is bad!" Lance's urgent voice echoed through the mindlink.
Addison's brows furrowed instantly, a sinking feeling stirring in her chest. Her mood shifted in a heartbeat, and she snapped her gaze toward Zion, Maxwell, and Levi. Whatever warmth lingered between them had to be pushed aside. She shot to her feet.
Sensing the sudden change in her aura, the three men rose with her, tense and alert.
