"God... just how can I make you mine, Lizzie?"

Elias’s words replayed in Lynsandra’s head like a broken record. Even the roar of the big bike beneath them and the harsh wind they were riding against couldn’t silence the voice echoing in her mind.

After saying that out loud, he hadn’t even given her time to think. He simply laughed it off and told her they should head home.

No words were spoken between them after that.

Now they were riding back, the bike speeding along as if he were determined to give real meaning to the overtaking lane. Or perhaps he wasn’t rushing at all. Maybe this was simply how he always drove.

He said he’d drive slowly on the way back, she thought, glancing at him as her hands remained locked around his stomach. And yet, it feels like he can’t wait to go home.

A shallow breath escaped her as she turned her face slightly away, telling herself not to think too much about it.

But to no avail.

A part of her felt... disappointed.

Lynsandra bit her lip, closed her eyes, and focused on steadying herself.

I also wanted to go home. I’m tired. It’s already late, so... of course I wanted to go back. It was fun while it lasted. But at the end of the day, this is mandatory.

Dates. Casual shared meals. Moments to get to know each other.

It was all part of the harem’s protocol to give each member fair treatment. She had gone on a date with Cassian. And although her time with August had felt more like a work engagement, it still counted.

There were more members. More responsibilities.

So she had no right to feel disappointed.

I technically have seven lovers, she reminded herself. I agreed to this harem to appease the court and to buy time before they persuade the Alpha King to marry me off to someone of their choosing.

Her jaw tightened.

Don’t be greedy, Lynsandra. Don’t—do not let yourself get swayed like this.

While her eyes were still closed as she silently reprimanded herself, she didn’t realize they were slowing down. She only noticed when the bike came to a complete stop.

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes in surprise, glancing around.

Elias had stopped on the side of the interstate bridge without warning.

Slowly, she shifted her gaze to his back. "Why did you stop?"

He didn’t answer. His boots steadied the bike on either side as it idled. Lynsandra glanced at the side mirror and caught a glimpse of his eyes, staring straight ahead.

"Elias," she called again. "What—"

"This bridge..." he began, slowly turning his head to look back at her. "Once we reach the end of it, there are two exits I can take."

Her brows furrowed as she listened. His voice was slightly muffled by their helmets, but she heard him clearly.

"If we take the left, it’ll lead straight back to the harem," he said, something she already knew. "But if we take the right, it’s the closest route to my place. Remember? The one I took you to the night you got wasted?"

She blinked, unsure why he was bringing it up. "What about it?"

"I’m taking you there tonight," he declared, shifting slightly to face her more directly. "I don’t want to bring you back there just so that scheming vampire can ambush you in your own bedroom. But at the same time... if I take you with me, I might not be able to control myself."

So that was why he had been driving so fast—not recklessly, but close enough to it.

"I feel like I’m going to drown with all these thoughts racing in my head," he confessed, his voice stripped of its usual teasing edge. "So if you think I’m taking you in the wrong direction... snap me out of it. You can do that, right?"

"..." Lynsandra stared at him, speechless.

How was she supposed to respond to such honesty?

August had always been honest too, but this wasn’t just honesty. This was raw. Unfiltered. Fueled by desire and emotions that teetered on the edge of madness.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding.

A wry smile curved beneath his helmet. He lifted a hand and gently touched the side of hers, lowering his head until their helmets rested together.

"Do that," he murmured, staying like that for a brief moment. "Okay?"

Then he pulled away, adjusted his grip, and started riding again. This time, they were slower. Probably mindful of attracting attention from the police again.

As they neared the end of the bridge, his gaze flicked left and right. He slowed even more. Then, instead of turning toward the harem, he took the other exit.

He followed his heart, as he always did. He kept decelerating, staying close to the side so he wouldn’t disrupt the other vehicles.

But she said nothing.

"Lynsandra," he called, his grip tightening around the handlebars. "I told you to snap me out—"

"I don’t want to go back. Not... tonight."

Elias froze, as if unsure whether he had heard her correctly.

If not for the sharp honk from a passing car — when he briefly drifted from his lane—he might not have snapped out of it.

Lynsandra clutched his jacket and leaned fully against his back, almost as though she were embracing him rather than simply holding on for balance.

If she was going to be honest — just like him — then no. She didn’t want to go back tonight.

Even if only for a fleeting moment, she wanted to keep this feeling. The one that didn’t suffocate her. The one that made the shackles she had placed upon herself loosen, even just a little.

Just for tonight, she would be honest.

And perhaps... a little greedier than she should be.

"Anywhere is fine," she whispered softly. "I don’t care. Just... don’t take me back."

Elias glanced at her and muttered, "Don’t regret it."

Before she could answer—or change her mind—he revved the engine and sped forward, taking her with him.

Just for tonight, he wanted her all to himself.