Sophia couldn't focus for the rest of the day. Every moment, she felt his presence—like a whisper in the air, a lingering heat brushing against her skin. Lucian.
Even though he had vanished from the library, she knew he was still near. Watching.
She wasn't afraid.
No, the worst part was how her body reacted to him.
A thrill.
A pull.
Like she was meant to find him.
By the time lunch rolled around, she needed answers.
Ryan sat across from her, chatting with his friends, but she barely heard him. Her mind was elsewhere, locked on the stranger who had haunted her since prom night.
The cafeteria doors swung open.
Sophia's breath hitched.
Lucian walked in.
Tall, powerful, otherworldly. His presence was a force that demanded attention. Dressed in all black, his movements were sleek, effortless—like a predator surveying his prey.
Every girl turned to stare. Some whispered. Others bit their lips.
But his eyes—dark and unreadable—found only her.
Sophia gripped the edge of the table.
Ryan noticed. "Who's that guy?"
"I… I don't know," she lied.
Lucian's gaze locked onto hers as he crossed the room, never breaking eye contact.
A slow, deliberate smirk touched his lips.
Something inside her clenched.
Her body betrayed her, heat pooling low in her stomach, her pulse racing.
Lucian passed their table without a word, his fingers brushing against her shoulder as he moved by. A fleeting touch—barely there—but it sent a shiver down her spine.
She gasped.
Her skin burned where he touched her.
She turned, but he was already gone.
Ryan frowned. "Sophia? What was that?"
She didn't answer.
Because the moment Lucian touched her, one thought had echoed in her mind—
Mine.