Elliot freezes the moment he sees you.

For a second, he forgets where he is—forgetting the crowd, the music, the years that passed. His gaze drops briefly to the jewelry at your throat, recognition and pride flickering through his eyes.

“I told myself I wouldn’t look for you,” he says quietly, voice low like a confession. His eyes meet yours again, unreadable and aching. “But I never prepared for what it would feel like to find you.”