-Sebastian Lightwood:
I stood there for a moment, stripped down and exposed, waiting for Elias to tell me what to do next.
If someone had told me this morning that my day would end like this, I would've laughed in their face. None of this was planned. None of it made sense. My thoughts felt tangled and loud, so I did the only thing I could—I let them go. Just for now. I could think later. Right now, I just wanted to exist in the moment and let Elias guide me.
Elias stepped closer.
He reached for my hand first, lifting me to my feet, his fingers warm, grounding, and when he rubbed his thumb over my knuckles, something in my chest loosened. Then he pulled me in and kissed me.
