“What are you wearing?”

“What?” Vero looked down to inspect her outfit. Nothing was wrong. Her bikini straps were in place and the outer lace flowed beautifully around her body. It was a bit chilly, considering that the summer in Duradel wasn’t as scorching as in her hometown.

“Bikini,” she said, looking at Lev. “Have you never seen a bikini before?”

Instead of answering Vero’s seemingly mocking question, Lev looked away briefly while grumbling in annoyance. The veins on his jaw clenched as he tightened it.

“Change your clothes,” Lev said then, his golden-brown eyes darkening with emotion.

At first, Vero didn’t understand why Lev asked her to change her...