Lovi's voice came from behind her, quiet but carrying an edge that stopped the air in the room.
"Because my hand is already resting on the send button right now, Cora. It is sitting right there, and all it requires is the slightest additional pressure."
His voice remained terrifyingly calm. "Don't push me on this. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you've delivered a very impressive speech, the situation has somehow changed. It hasn't. Nothing has changed. The only thing that has changed is how close you are to finding out exactly what I'm capable of."
Cora's footsteps slowed but did not stop.
"I wanted to go easy on you tonight," he continued, and there was something in his voice now that sounded almost regretful - the tone of a man who genuinely wished things had gone differently and was about to do something he could frame as her fault.
