She arches. I hold.
Her thighs tighten around my hips.
My hand slides up her ribcage, thumb brushing the bottom swell of her breast.
“Say stop,” I murmur against her mouth.
“No.”
That’s all she gives me.
No hesitation. No stutter.
Just truth.
But before it can go further… before I pull her shorts down or she rips my shirt off… my phone vibrates.
Once.
Twice.
Urgent.
I freeze.
She feels it.
I don’t move.
Because I know what name is lighting up that screen without looking.
Naomi.
She’s never called me this many times in a row unless it’s critical.
Lydia blinks up at me, breath shallow, lips swollen, pupils blown wide.
And I know I’ve already crossed the line.
Even if I stop now, I’m already on the wrong side of it.
I reach into my coat and pull out the phone.
Naomi's name pulses on the screen.
I answer.
"You missed check-in." Her voice is tight. "What's going on?"
I sit back, keeping my voice low. "Something came up."
"Where are you?"
I don't answer immediately, and that tells her everything.
She exhales—not quite a sigh, more like controlled frustration. "Silas, we have a problem. Someone's been watching you."
That gets my full attention. "Who?"