Knox opened his mouth, probably to say something that would escalate the situation.
Lucy did something that shocked everyone.
She grabbed his tie and yanked him forward.
“Shut up,” she said.
She kissed him.
In front of everyone.
The room went still.
She watched Knox freeze for half a second. Then his hands came up, steadying Lucy, and the kiss changed. Deepened. It wasn’t a kiss born from civility—it was a kiss born from months of tension and antagonism and something neither of them seemed to understand.
Lucy pulled back first, releasing his tie like it burned her.
“Don’t,” she said, breathing hard. “Don’t say a word.”
Knox stared at her like she’d rewritten the rules of his entire existence.
“Consider me shut up,” he said quietly.
He grabbed his whiskey bottle and walked out of the kitchen.
Lucy stood frozen for approximately three seconds.
“I need to leave,” she said, and fled the apartment.
The door slammed behind her.
There was silence.
Devney looked at Ronan.
Ronan looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel looked at her.
“Should we be worried?” she asked.
He nodded. “Terrified.”
Later, after everyone had gone, she curled against Gabriel in bed.
“Those two are a lit match and a gas leak,” she said.
“They’re going to burn the world to the ground.”
“Probably.” She yawned. “As long as they do it after our wedding.”
He pulled her closer.
“Speaking of which. You’re still holding me to Paris?”
“Obviously,” she said without hesitation. “That was never up for debate.”
He laughed under his breath. He’d known the answer before he asked.
