CHAPTER 319

Elijah’s POV

It was late, and the apartment building was silent. I stood beside Sophia, feeling the gentle sway of the elevator beneath my feet. The air between us was electric, a silent pull that had been growing stronger all evening.

I reached out, taking her hand in mine, and slowly rubbed my thumb across her skin. She turned her head slightly and smiled up at me, her eyes soft and a little hazy from the champagne.

She wasn’t drunk—just tipsy enough for her guard to be down. I’d had a few drinks myself, but my thoughts were clear. Crystal clear.

I want you, Sophia. Ever since that day you left me, I never stopped wanting you. And I’m hoping you feel the same way, even just for tonight.

My heart pounded with a fierce intensity, each beat echoing in my ears as I tried to read her expression. The warmth of her body so close to mine was almost unbearable, igniting something primal inside me.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her—especially not from the curve of her neck, so close, s