Chapter 67 A Choice Unmade

• The soft thud of the car door closing behind me feels both final and ominous, like the closing of a trap. I settle into the plush leather seat, the material cool against my bare arms. Efrem slides in beside me, his presence both comforting and intimidating. The scent of his cologne, usually so reassuring, now seems to carry an edge of danger.
• Tavin takes his place in the passenger seat, and Alek starts the engine. As we pull away from Dimitri’s estate, the silence in the car is heavy, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. I chance a glance at Efrem, immediately noticing the tightness in his jaw, the hard set of his eyes. He’s upset—that much is clear—but about what exactly, I can’t be sure.
• Is it the dance with Dimitri? The way other men looked at me?