My lips burned beneath Nathaniel's demanding kiss. The drugs coursed through my system, turning my blood to liquid fire. For a moment—just one traitorous moment—I responded, my body arching into his as if it had a will of its own.
Then reality broke through the haze. This wasn't real. This was chemicals, manipulation, a setup.
I bit down hard on his bottom lip.
Nathaniel jerked back with a hiss, touching his lip where a small bead of blood had formed. Confusion flashed in his eyes, followed by horror as clarity returned.
"I—" He pushed himself away from me, stumbling to his feet. "I didn't mean—"
"It was the food," I said, sitting up and trying to steady my racing heart. "Your grandmother drugged us."
His expression darkened. "That meddling—" He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I'm going to take a shower. A cold one."
I watched him retreat to the bathroom, the door closing with a decisive click. The sound of running water followed seconds later.
