Zane~
The ballroom felt like a ticking bomb wrapped in velvet and gold—elegant on the outside but ready to explode. Tension clung to the room like hot air, thick and suffocating. I could practically taste it on my tongue—sharp, metallic, like storm-charged air right before lightning strikes.
Red stirred restlessly in the back of my mind, pacing like he was one second away from breaking free. "This is taking too long," he growled, voice low and bristling. "I want to see Natalie, Zane. Now."
"I know," I thought back, jaw tight. "I do too. Just hold on."
My arms were folded neatly behind my back, chin tilted with practiced ease. On the outside, I was calm—stone, steel, unreadable. But inside? My pulse was pounding.
Across the room, Sebastian caught my eye. That infuriating grin tugged at his mouth—mischief personified. His eyebrows danced up and down, the universal language of "You're gonna crack. I know it."
I bit the inside of my cheek. Hard.
