Kimi's breath caught in her throat as her pulse quickened. She found herself staring into the eyes of the one person who had shattered her world before she even understood what being mates truly meant. Despite convincing herself that the rejection had killed whatever feelings she once harbored, she could feel something stirring deep within her chest, refusing to stay buried.
The word escaped her lips in barely a whisper.
"W-What?"
Kolton studied her reaction with calculating eyes, letting the silence stretch between them like a taut wire.
Then he stepped back and exploded into laughter. The sound hit Kimi like a physical blow, leaving her reeling from the sudden shift.
She felt heat flood her cheeks as the realization of her own foolishness crashed over her. How could she have believed him, even for that brief, vulnerable moment?
"God, you should see yourself right now! Did you actually think I meant it? That I could want someone like you?"
