Nicholas’s grip on her jaw tightened ever so slightly, his eyes narrowing.
He could feel his patience slipping away, but he fought to keep control.
“Ridiculous?” he echoed, his tone calm yet dangerously low. “What’s ridiculous is you pretending there’s nothing left between us. last night... your body told me everything, Emily.”
Her eyes widened briefly before narrowing again, blazing with fury. She yanked her face free from his grasp and took a step back. “You’re delusional if you think that night meant anything!” she spat, her voice sharp as a blade. “You don’t get to use my body as an excuse to justify your actions.”
Nicholas's jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. “You can lie to yourself all you want, Emily, but you can’t lie to me. I know you. I know what we had—and what we still have.”
“What we had?” she repeated, laughing bitterly. “We had nothing, Nicholas. Nothing but resentment and obligation. Whatever you think you saw or felt last night—it’s not real.”