Chapter 20: Terrifying Muse

We ate in silence, but it wasn’t the tense kind. Instead, it was a quiet, comfortable lull, like we were both trying to figure out what this strange shift between us meant. The air wasn’t heavy—it was thoughtful, filled with unsaid things neither of us were ready to face.

"We should probably head back now," Constantine said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, we should." I cleared my throat, forcing myself to sound casual. The waiter dropped the bill off, and Constantine handled it without a word.

We both stood at the same time, an awkward sort of synchronization that made my heart skip. He gestured for me to walk first. I was surprised with how gentlemanly he was being now.

As I made my way to the car, I glanced back and saw him lingering by the restaurant door, staring at his phone with a furrowed brow. “Let’s take a walk,” he called out, his voice cutting through the quiet street.

I turned to him, a little taken aback.“You’re a strange man,” I said with a smile that felt too easy, too f