Chapter 21: Unwanted Welcome Party

*Ariel Levine* The hum of the engine vibrated through the air, a low, throaty growl that mingled with the headiness of my own thoughts. The cramped space of the vehicle echoed with an intimacy I wasn't quite ready to unpack. My thighs pressed together, a traitorous reaction to the intoxicating closeness of Vador beside me. His scent was an intoxicating mix of leather and something deeper, something dangerously wild, and it brought forth images that made my cheeks flush. There was tension in the air, and my heart raced at the proximity, every little brush of his body sparking waves of heat that coursed through me. I peeked at Vador from the corner of my eye. He was looking ahead, sharp jawline set, his expression serious, yet something flickered in the depths of his dark eyes—a smoldering