Chapter 97

Lilah shut her eyes tightly, her whole body tingling. The moment Gabriel's lips brushed the top of her foot, she instinctively jerked her leg and gripped the bedsheet beneath her fingers. He paused for a second, then leaned back in to kiss her lips under the dim light of the night. His kiss this time was slower—gentler, lingering between tenderness and longing. "Just relax a little," he murmured against her mouth, voice low and raspy, noticing how tense she was. Lilah didn't say a word. Instead, her soft, flexible arms snaked around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. Gabriel's hand slowly slid to her waist, caressing her gently to ease her nerves. And then... In an unexpected move, Lilah bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. Still, Gabriel didn't pull back—he kissed her even more softly, while tears welled up in her eyes, shimmering in the darkness. Outside, the moon hung quietly in the early summer sky, casting a pale light over everything. The night breeze made the bedroom