Beneath the Neon Smoke
To conceal her identity, Charlotte Bonds pulled a black mask from her jacket pocket and slipped it over the lower half of her face.
The thin fabric hugged the curve of her cheeks and nose, leaving only her sharp teal eyes visible.
Julian D'Aurelius glanced at her.
Then he glanced again.
Left. Right. Up. Down.
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
Something about her masked face stirred a vague memory in his mind.
He tilted his head, studying her profile.
The shape of her eyes… the line of her jaw…
Why does she look familiar?
He tried to remember where he had seen someone like this before.
But just as he was thinking—
"Why are you staring at me?"
Charlotte's voice came cold and sharp.
She had already noticed his gaze lingering on her face.
Julian blinked and chuckled casually.
"Nothing."
The elevator hummed quietly as it descended.
A faint vibration passed through the metal walls.
