The words settled deep, heavier than Jazz had expected. Did she need an escape plan? Shouldshe?
She swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. “I don’t know what to say.”
Poppy’s expression remained unwavering. “Just promise me you won’t tell Titus. Not yet.”
Jazz hesitated, searching her sister’s face. Then nodded. “Okay.”
She wasn’t sure why she agreed. But as the wind stirred through the garden, rustling the leaves around them, she had the strange sense that something had just shifted.
And she wasn’t sure if it was for better or worse.
She turned, only to find Titus standing a few feet away. Had he heard their conversation? Aflicker of panic tightened her chest, her pulse kicking up a notch. If he had, he gave no sign, his expression unreadable. But the way he watched her, steady and patient, made her stomach twist. Was he waiting for her to say something? To confess? Or was she only imagining theheaviness of his gaze, letting her own guilt fill the silence between them? For some reason, panic filledher.
Poppy, sensing the shift in energy, quickly excused herself. “I should check on Soren,” she murmured, giving Jazz’s hand one last squeeze before slipping back inside.
“Enjoying the garden?” Titus’s voice washed over her, smooth and easy, as if they hadn’t just been caught in a conversation she wasn’t ready to explain.
Jazz spun in place, grateful for the neutral opening. “It’s beautiful. Peaceful.”
“It is.” He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, his gaze steady on hers. “Poppy seemed eager to speak with you.”
Jazz hesitated, then shrugged lightly. “Sisters have a way of making sure you know where you stand.”
A flicker of amusement crossed his face. “And where do youstand, Jazz?”
She studied him, unsure if he was asking about Poppy’s words or something deeper. “Right here, Isuppose.”
His lips curved slightly at that. “Good. Because that’s exactly where I want you.”
Before she could respond, he closed the distance between them, his hand sliding up her arm, fingers grazing her jaw as he tilted her face up to his. Jazz barely had time to take a breath before his lips brushed against hers—soft at first, coaxing, testing.
Heat flamed low in her stomach, spreading through her like wildfire. The intensity of her reaction unsettled her, clashing with the careful logic she had tried to keep betweenthem.
She had told herself she would be cautious, that she wouldn’t get lost in him so easily. And yet, here she was, unraveling beneath his touch, her body betraying every carefully constructed wall she thought she had built.
Her body responded before her mind could catchup, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt, steadying herself against the sudden rush of sensation. It should have been too much. It should have felt overwhelming after everything that had happened that morning, with Poppy’s words echoing in her mind. And yet, she melted intohim.
His mouth moved over hers with unshakable confidence, deepening the kiss, tasting her like he had all the time in the world. There was no rush, no demand—just possession, slow and consuming. He kissed her like he was savoring her, like he wanted to brand her with this moment, make her forget everythingelse.
Her head spun, her pulse hammering in her ears. She had kissed him before, had felt his touch, had given herself to him in ways she never thought she would. But this felt different. This wasn’t about lust. This was something deeper, something more dangerous. It felt like a claim.
And the worst part? She wanted to be claimed.
A soft sigh escaped her as his hand slid to the back of her neck,holding her there, keeping her anchored to him. She felt the tension in his grip, the restraint he barely held onto. He didn’t just kiss her—he told her something, something unspoken but undeniable.
When he finally pulled back, she was breathless, her fingers tangled in the fabric of his shirt. His dark gaze held hers, unreadable, intense.
“That’s exactly where I want you,” he repeated, his voice lower now, rougher.
Jazz swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her ribs. She should say something, make a joke, lighten the moment. But she couldn’t. Because deep down, she knew the truth.
She wanted to be right there too. Despite everything—the uncertainty, the questions, the whirlwind of the last few days—there remained a pull between them she couldn’t ignore. She should have been more guarded, more cautious, but standing here, breathless and wrapped in the heat of his presence, all she could feel was the undeniable truth that she wanted this.Wanted him. And that realization terrified her almost as much as it thrilledher.
Chapter 4
THE STUDYsmelled of leather, aged whiskey, and power. The morning-after brunch had ended, but for the Dantes, the real business was just beginning. Titus leaned back in the massive leather chair at the head of the room, rolling the heavy crystal tumbler between his fingers, the amber liquid catching the light. Cade and Zane sat across from him, both watchful. They weren’t relaxed, not really. The Dantes neverwere.
Titus spoke first, his voice smooth but edged with iron. “We move fast. No loose ends.”
