Page 14 of The Bittersweet Bond

Evin nodded, unable to suppress her growing anticipation.

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The dance floor was behind them, but the euphoria still lingered in the air, like a high that refused to fade.

Evin could feel the heat from dancing still radiating off her skin, a lingering smile playing on her lips as she leaned against the bar with Milka. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a sip of her drink.

"This is exactly what we needed," Milka panted, laughing as she dropped onto the stool beside Evin. "God, I’ve missed this."

But before Evin could respond, she felt it.

A movement, a look that sent a shiver across her skin. Slowly, she lifted her head.

And there he was. Bas, moving through the crowd as if the party around him had faded into nothing.

"Shit," Evin whispered, her breath hitching, and Milka immediately followed her gaze.

Bas didn’t walk. He moved with the kind of confidence that made people part for him without question. Like he owned the space, the party, the moment. And the second his eyes locked onto her, she knew he thought he owned her too.

He pushed forward, the crowd parting around him as if by instinct, until he was standing right in front of her.

Milka rolled her eyes. "Dramatic as always."

His fingers grazed the side of her neck, slow, deliberate, barely a touch, but enough to tell her, to tell everyone watching, exactly who she belonged to.

"I thought you were going to ignore me tonight," Bas’s voice was quiet, but there was something sharp beneath it, something close to amusement, but not quite.

Evin let her lips curl slightly, letting her gaze wander over him for a brief secondbefore locking onto his eyes.

"I tried," she replied smoothly, a playful edge in her voice as she toyed with her glass.

He stepped closer, just enough for her to feel his presence without touching her.

"And?"

"Clearly not very successfully," she teased, her lips curving into an ironic smile as she took another sip.

Bas let out a low, dangerous chuckle. "We both know you don’t actually want to ignore me."

Evin laughed, masking the sting of his words. She ran her tongue across her lips, set her drink down, and met his gaze, calm, yet gleaming with something unreadable.

"Maybe," was all she said.

From the corner of her eye, Milka smirked. "Wow. He’s really giving it his all tonight," she murmured, just loud enough for Evin to hear.

Milka still had no idea about their texts.

Evin hadn’t had the chance to tell her.

"Do you always have to analyze everything?" Evin muttered, her gaze still locked on Bas.

He was still smiling, that same knowing, almost challenging look. Then, he leaned in slightly, just enough to bring his face level with hers.

"I like analyzing," he murmured. "Especially you."

God, she loved the way he flirted so openly.

Evin didn’t break eye contact, feeling the tension crackle between them, tightening like a wire pulled taut.

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