IN THE AFTERMATH of Mason's departure, the study felt hollow, as if Mason's presence had somehow drained the warmth from the very air.
Grayson stood frozen in the center of the room, his face a mask of anguish and barely controlled rage.
And Mailah, pressed against the wall with her wrist still burning from Mason's touch, finally understood why Dr. Morrison had warned her so urgently about avoiding stress.
Because looking at Grayson's devastated expression, she realized that the peaceful reunion she'd hoped for had just become infinitely more complicated—and infinitely more dangerous.
The silence stretched between them like a chasm, filled with unspoken fears and the lingering echo of Mason's threat.
Grayson remained frozen in the center of the room, his hands still clenched into fists, his shoulders rigid with barely contained violence. The afternoon light streaming through the windows seemed pale and inadequate against the darkness that had settled over them.
