Blanche's POV
Zain stayed hunched over me, his eyes boring into mine. I could tell he saw right through my act—I was anything but calm, and he knew it. A low chuckle escaped him. "What's the matter? Scared of me?"
In all our years together, Zain had never caught even a glimpse of fear in my expression.
Tonight was different.
I watched something shift in his face—like he was seeing a stranger. For a heartbeat, confusion flickered across his features.
Zain had dealt with plenty of women over the years. Most threw themselves at him, desperate to win his favor through endless flattery and submission.
I used to be just like them—always making myself smaller, never daring to meet him as an equal.
When he spoke, I slowly faced him again, meeting his stare without wavering.
Looking directly at him, I kept my voice steady. "I'm not afraid of you, Zain. I just don't see why we need to complicate things."
His eyes sharpened, interest sparking. "And why's that?"
