His hand finds my wrist, stopping all of my racing thoughts in their tracks. Now, all I can focus on is the burning band of fire on my skin; like a venomous bracelet. He pulls my hand up to my side, and we both look down at it. He turns my fist over. Instinctively, I uncurl my fingers to reveal my palm. To my surprise, he lets out a small hiss, like something about my action bothers him. Then he pools the necklace into my palm, creating a small, careful coil of pearls, and closes my hands back into a fist. I can feel his gaze, a heavy burden, against my cheek. But I don’t lift my eyes up from
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