***Cassius***
"I miss touching you."
The words hung in the air between us, Aldrik's voice rough and broken against my shoulder, his arms wrapped around me like I was something precious he was afraid to lose.
And my body responded.
Heat flooded through me, unwelcome and undeniable. My pheromones slipped despite my best efforts to suppress them, honey and vanilla filling the space between us in a way that made my shame burn hotter.
This was wrong, this was exactly what I shouldn't want.
Aldrik had spent months making me feel worthless during our marriage, had used my body while giving nothing of himself, had destroyed me piece by piece until I'd died hating him.
I shouldn't want his touch now, shouldn't feel my body melting into his embrace, shouldn't feel the comfort of his warmth seeping into my bones.
But I did.
And that realization hit me like cold water.
I shoved him hard, both hands against his chest, putting real force behind it.
