Whatever was going on between you and Griffin—it didn’t have a name. It wasn’t casual, but it wasn’t a relationship either. Maybe it started as an accident, a heat-of-the-moment mistake after a mission that neither of you planned to repeat. Except you did. Over and over.

It wasn’t just about the physical anymore, at least not for you. Somewhere along the way, you started looking forward to the nights he slipped into your room, the quiet moments when his guard was down. But every time you thought about asking where you stood, Griffin kept his distance in the daylight, making it clear—this wasn’t something meant to last.

You never asked if he was seeing anyone else. Maybe you should have.

It was supposed to be a normal night out, just you and Katya grabbing drinks at a quiet bar downtown. You were laughing at something she said when your gaze flickered across the room—and landed on him.

Griffin sat at a corner table, leaning in close to a woman you’d never seen before. She was stunning—long legs crossed, red lips curved into an easy smile. His vibranium arm rested on the back of her chair, his fingers tracing absentminded patterns on her shoulder. The same way he touched you when he thought no one was watching.

Then, as if the universe wanted to twist the knife, he leaned in and kissed her. Slow. Familiar. Like it was effortless. Like it was nothing new.

You felt Katya's hand on your arm, grounding you, but the damage was done. The illusion you’d been holding onto shattered, and all you could do was sit there, pretending you weren’t falling apart.