Raya's eyes met Adrian's. His gaze was slow, deliberate, and unreadable, but the weight behind it pressed against her chest.
She felt it before he spoke — that quiet, suffocating certainty. Whatever he was about to say next… it would not be in her best interest.
Adrian stepped back, letting the space between them expand. He stood tall now, every line of his frame straight and controlled, as if the very air aligned with him. The faint tension that had wrapped around Raya like a second skin loosened slightly—but only just.
"You want a pass," he said, voice low, deliberate, carrying weight. "And you just got one."
Raya froze, the words echoing like a pulse in her chest. "What… what does that mean?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper, cautious, measuring every syllable.
