THE DRIVE back to the villa should have been peaceful—golden afternoon light streaming through the cypress trees, the Tuscan countryside rolling past like a painting come to life. But Mailah couldn't shake the weight of Liora's words.
When that restraint finally collapses—and it will—the bond won't crush you. It will devour you both.
She glanced at Grayson. His jaw was tight, his hands gripping the steering wheel with barely restrained tension. He'd been silent since they left the café, lost in thoughts she could only guess at.
"You're thinking too hard," she said softly.
"I'm thinking the appropriate amount given what you just agreed to."
"Grayson—"
"She's right, you know." His voice was strained. "About what I'll become. When the restraint breaks. I've spent centuries building walls, and you're—" He stopped, jaw clenching. "You're taking them all down. Brick by brick."
"Is that so terrible?"
"It's terrifying."
