Chapter 26. Self Сontrol

As much as I awaited his answer, Aries made sure to take his time. He didn’t answer right away.

His hands brushed against my waist—slow, intentional—like he was trying to ground himself in the moment. In me.

Then, just for a second, his eyes dropped, shame flickering there like a secret he wasn’t ready to speak. But when he looked up again, his gaze was laced with something I hadn’t seen in a long time—resolve.

“I won’t be leaving tonight,” he said, his voice firm, his hands still anchored on my waist. “I wouldn’t be able to… even if I tried.”

He looked me over once more, like he was confirming his choice, and the weight of those words hit me like a whirlwind.

It wasn’t a performance. It wasn’t a line.

It was a promise.

“Good,” I replied, keeping my voice steady even though my heart was chaos beneath my ribs.

He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath on my skin. “Because if I walked away now, I’d regret it every damn secon