63

THIRTY THREE

Talia immediately stiffened, her name echoing through the hallway, spoken by a voice she didn’t recognize. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she turned slowly toward Leo, her heartbeat quickening with a mix of fear and frustration.

“Let me finish this conversation with my mother tonight, Leo,” she said, her voice barely concealing the exhaustion that weighed heavily in her chest. Her eyes flitted away from his, avoiding the intensity in his gaze. “We’ll talk about this later.”

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to soothe the tension pounding in her head. “And I think we both need time to calm down, to think clearly before we take any action.”

Leo’s hand lingered on her arm, his touch soft yet filled with restraint. His lips pressed together as he held back the words he truly wanted to say. His eyes, though dark and stormy, flickered with something more tender—something Talia refused to acknowledge right now.

"Al