CHAPTER 23 A DANGEROUS BARGAIN

“I’ve missed that,” Madeline whispered, her voice catching on the words. The air between them seemed to thicken, charged with a mix of nostalgia and desire. Ethan’s hand hovered over Madeline’s, his fingers almost brushing against hers. “I’ve missed it, too,” he admitted softly, his voice filled with honesty. “We used to be so...connected. We would finish each other’s sentences, as if we shared a single mind.” She nodded, her heart racing as she felt the electricity crackling between them. For a moment, neither of them spoke, their eyes doing the talking. And then she took his hand in hers, her touch warm and familiar. “Perhaps it’s not too late to rediscover that connection,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “To remember who we were, and who we can still be.” Ethan’s breath caught in his throat, his eyes darkening with emotion. “Madeline...” he began, unsure of where this was leading. The tension in the room was palpable as Madeline’s eyes shone with a mix of hope an