The second time was worse than the first.
Not because it was unexpected—she had braced herself for his touch, had told herself she could endure it.
But because this time, he didn't just brush against her through the fabric. He pushed his fingers straight into her. Deep. All the way in.
"Ahh—!"
Her body arched backward, her spine curving involuntarily, her mouth opening in a silent gasp.
The barriers around them shattered instantly—not one or two, but all of them.
Crack!
Mika had to rebuild them in the same breath, layering new shields over the ruins before her emotions could leak out and devastate the room.
It made perfect sense. She was being fingered by her own son in the middle of a public diplomatic meeting, surrounded by hundreds of officials who had no idea what was happening beneath the table.
Even someone as composed and battle-hardened as Nadia found it impossible not to react.
