Adrien didn't say a word as we left the sidewalk.
His hand stayed firm at the small of my back— steady and grounding—but the silence between us was anything but calm. It throbbed with tension, like a scream waiting to burst.
The car door clicked open with a soft chime. I climbed into the passenger seat. he skin of the leather was cool against mine, the air was fresh and smelled of clean linen but also of something else—something sharp and masculine. His cologne.
I fumbled with the seatbelt. My hands wouldn't stay still. Max's voice still echoed in my head—Isa, I loved you.
I bit down a bitter laugh.Love? From Max? That word felt poisoned now.
God, what a joke.
Adrien slid in next to me, filled with the quiet confidence that always made me want to hit something, or yell at something. Ugh.
Click.
His seatbelt slid into place. The engine hummed to life but the tension didn't ease. Neither of us spoke.
Not until we turned the corner.
Then he said it.
"Pookie Bear."
