Sebastian's POV
She smiled.
Not at someone else.
Not to be polite.
Not out of fear.
She smiled at me.
And I stood there—frozen like an idiot—watching her walk away like she hadn't just completely shattered me with the softest, most devastating expression I'd ever seen.
What the hell is happening to me?
My heart hasn't stopped beating like it's trying to punch through my ribs since dinner. And it wasn't the food. It wasn't the business meetings. It wasn't the impending arms deal I need to sort out in Prague. It was her.
Ray.
The girl who yaps non-stop about hygiene and bandaids and can trip on air.
The girl who flinched the first time I reached out but now—now—holds my hand like it's normal.
And I let her.
I let her.
I should've pulled away. I should've kept my distance. I should've sent her somewhere far, safe, untouchable.
But I didn't.
I wore the stupid pink Hello Kitty bandaid. In a billion-dollar meeting. In front of men who'd slit throats without blinking. And they teased me for it. And I didn't give a damn.
Because she put it there. Because she was worried. Because her hands were shaking when she touched mine, and I felt honoured.
That's it. That's the line. I've crossed it.
I'm in love with her.
God.
I am in love with her.
Not just drawn to her. Not just protective or intrigued. This is worse. This is deeper. This is dangerous. I've felt obsession. I've felt possession. But this—this is worship.
I worship the way she breathes.
The way her eyes crinkle when she laughs. The way she tilts her head when she's confused. The way she talks too much when she's nervous. The way she still says "thank you" for things like safety and soup.
She doesn't know what she's doing to me.
She can't.
If she did, she'd run.
And I wouldn't blame her.
Because I'm the monster in this story.
But God help me—if anyone ever dares touch her again... if anyone ever tries to take that light away from her again—
They'll never be found.
I stood alone in the hallway long after she disappeared. My hand still burned where hers had touched it. My pulse still thundered.
This can't happen.
And yet...
I think it already has.