Chapter 40 Heated Moment

• Avery’s Point of View
• Kaiden’s gaze didn’t waver, and I felt myself getting lost in it. Panic bubbled inside me. Before he could say another word, I blurted, “I need some air. Excuse me.”
• Without waiting for a response, I turned and hurried out of the hall, my heart pounding in my chest. I found myself in the garden, the cool night air offering a momentary reprieve. I walked deeper into the garden, past the neatly trimmed hedges and blooming flowers, searching for a quiet place where I wouldn’t be easily found.