My dear lord…?
He stared at her, the streetlights washing over his profile, highlighting the stunned arch of his brow. For a long moment, the only sound was the soft rush of the road beneath them.
Then a slow, deep breath escaped him. A low, incredulous chuckle followed, rumbling in his chest. He shook his head once, a look of bewildered, profound tenderness replacing the shock.
"Alina," he said, her name a soft sigh on his lips, laden with a feeling too complex to name. He returned his eyes to the road, but the ghost of that stunned, tender look remained. "Just Dante is fine," he murmured.
"No, I think it suits you," Alina said, a light, playful smile on her lips, emboldened by his stunned reaction.
