I exhaled, the weight of his presence pressing down, and relented. “Fine,” I murmured.
In the car, Lorenz and Emily sat up front, laughing, sharing memories, while I was pushed to the back with Gritte. She kept as much distance as possible, treating me like a stranger.
The city blurred past the window as they reminisced, their comfort and connection stabbing at my chest.
When we arrived at the restaurant, my stomach twisted at bitter recognition. The same steakhouse Lorenz had taken me to countless times, a place I once thought was ours—it had always belonged to him and Emily.
Everything I had believed about us had been an illusion.
As we entered the restaurant, the faint tang of smoke and sizzling meat hit my nose. A waiter recognized us immediately, bowing slightly. “Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Reyes! It’s been a while since we last saw you.”
I noticed Emily stiffen beside Lorenz, and instinctively she brushed against him, linking her arm with his in a subtle, possessive claim. His scent—musky, warm, familiar—shifted under her touch, and I realized how clearly she was marking him. The primal warning flared in my chest, a low, instinctive growl I couldn’t control.