Eliza felt her breathing grow more erratic with each second she spent under Lucian's penetrating gaze. The warmth of the blazer over her shoulders was comforting, but also a constant reminder of his closeness. She couldn't allow herself this type of vulnerability, not in front of him. With trembling hands, she slowly rose from the bar, the movement immediately attracting the alpha's attention.
"Thank you, but I must go," she said in a low voice, almost a whisper, as she began to remove the blazer from her shoulders. Her fingers clung to the black fabric, as if something inside her resisted letting go of that small refuge.
Lucian observed her with a mixture of amusement and something darker in his expression, an emotion that Eliza couldn't quite decipher. He took a step toward her, closing the distance between them with an ease that left her breathless.
