Lucien's POV
"I see pity and guilt in those eyes, Vipers." The moment the words left my mouth, her expression shattered.
Fear flashed across Braelyn's face so fast it almost felt physical, like watching glass crack under pressure. She instinctively pushed her chair back, trying to stand, trying to put distance between us, but I moved before she could escape.
My hand came down against the side of her chair and shoved her firmly into the seat again, holding her there. She wasn't escaping this.
The waiter, sensing the tension thickening the air, didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed the trolley and slipped away in silence, leaving us alone with the wind, the roses, and the sound of her uneven breathing.
My mind went back to the hospital, to the look of guilt she had then, and now after seeing the plans I made. The look that flashed in her eyes. She had turned soft to Raphael, not forgetting what her bloody friend said to her.
