LORETTA

“Who is Beatrice?” The question left my lips before I could stop it; it wreathed between us like suffocating smoke, choking the warmth that had previously settled between us

Elion's entire body changed, his thumb stilled against my cheek, his jaw locked, not in anger, more like someone caught off guard by a question they hadn't expected to come

His eyes rolled over my face, studying me with renewed gaze. “What did George tell you about her?” The way he spoke was calm and cool, but I knew Elion too well; there was a hurricane of emotions that he was keeping locked behind that blank look

I forced a...