Mara's POV

I could feel Elias’s eyes on my back, burning with a protective fire I could almost feel through my clothes. Standing under the flickering, harsh pink of the hotel’s neon sign was David. The moment his eyes landed on me, they lit up. It wasn’t just a look of relief; there was something possessive in it, a sharp hunger that made me stiffen.

"Where have you been, Mara?" he asked, stepping toward me. "It’s nearly midnight. I’ve been calling. I thought something happened."

"I was just... out," I lied, my voice sounding thin even to my own ears. I kept my body language stiff, trying to look normal...