~LENORA'S POV
"Starting with you, Dove."
The words remained suspended somewhere deep in my chest, echoing long after the pressure of his hand eased a bit from my throat.
I drew in a slow breath, trying to gather my thoughts before they scattered completely. My fingers, which had been gripping the stone edge behind me, loosened one by one.
"I need to tell you something," I said at last.
The softness in my own voice startled me more than the confession itself.
Zephyr noticed it immediately. I saw the change happen in real time. The crimson tension in his gaze flickered a few times before fading completely.
His grip around my neck slackened until his hand slid away entirely. Instead of holding me pinned there, he guided me upward with surprising care and settled me on the edge of the tub.
Water streamed down my thighs and pooled beneath me on the stone while he rose to stand between my legs.
