Blanche's POV
Standing beside Vincent, I couldn't ignore the frigid energy radiating from him—his presence alone seemed to drop the temperature around us.
The elevator finally arrived.
It was crammed full, but the moment we squeezed inside, Vincent's arms came around me, drawing me firmly against his chest like a protective shield.
He created a barrier between me and the crowd—as if nothing else existed beyond our intimate bubble.
When we reached the ground floor and the other passengers shuffled out, Vincent's fingers found mine, gently leading me from the elevator.
Outside, Vincent walked straight to his car, tossed me the keys, and said, "You drive."
I caught the keys, my eyes flicking down briefly before I slipped behind the wheel.
We barely spoke on the drive back—silence filled the space between us.
When I pulled up outside Vincent's villa, I turned to him. "Go ahead up. I should head out too."
