Chapter 194

Author's pov Just minutes ago, Sebastian moved through the kitchen with the focused ease of a man born to command—even if the battlefield was a stovetop. My coffee, perfectly prepared, waited beside my plate without a word being exchanged. Now? That softness vanished. His whole demeanor shifted--posture straightening, jaw locking, eyes sharpening into something that could cut straight through steel. Whatever warmth he'd worn like a second skin peeled away in an instant, replaced by the kind of cold that made you hesitate before standing too close. His gaze flicked to the door. Whoever was on the other side was about to get frostbitten. "I'll get it," he said, already moving across the apartment with the lethal grace of someone who didn't knock twice. As he passed by, his hand landed on her lower back in a gesture so casual, so proprietary, it made Cecilia's breath catch. It wasn't meant for comfort. It was possession, plain and simple. "Go get ready," he said over his shoulder. "I'll h