Chapter 177: Whispers Before the Crown
Zane~
After dinner, the hum of laughter and the clink of dishes still echoed in my ears as Natalie and I made our way to her room. The air between us was warm and charged, the kind of heat that simmered in glances and lingered in every touch. Alex had already gone to bed—thank the Moon Goddess—and the house had quieted, leaving just us. Just her and me.
The moment the door shut behind us, she turned, her eyes glinting with mischief, her lips already curled in a soft smirk.
"Fox is going to pay for that dinner comment," she muttered, tugging me closer by the drawstrings of my hoodie.
I chuckled lowly, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I don’t know... I kind of liked it. Especially the part where you turned the same color as a tomato."
She rolled her eyes. "You’re not funny."
I leaned down, brushing my lips against hers. "You’re blushing again."
"Zane—"
I didn’t let her finish. I kissed her. Deeply. My fingers tangled in her hair as her arms slid up around my neck. She sighed into me, pressing her body closer, and everything else vanished. Her scent. Her warmth. Her fire.
And then—of course—the moment shattered.
"Zane. To my chambers. Now."