re

until she learns manners and how t

room, and my heart sank further into despair. His voice carried a lethal authority that ma

the cold cruelty he'd shown me. The sudden shift sent a wave of confusion through me. How could he change so easily? O

soon. She'll know how to

s gaze was both a threat and a promise. His hand was like a vise around

father." His words were a whisper, but they dripped with venom as

iolence his son inflicted on me. This is now my life-caught in a family of monsters. Trapped like an animal. I was safe and isolated in m

s voice calm and collected, like he was making an ordinary request. There was a casual crue

wallowed it down. I wouldn't let them see my fea

ce interrupted. I looked up to see a man standing nearby, his light

ante snapped, c

r." His tone softened slightly as he glanced at Marco

hough I wasn't sure how much of it was real. His green eyes lacked the brutal edge of Dante's blue ones, but I

d the malice I had grown used to. There was a hardness there, somet

m? Or was this j

red, his expression cold. "Either she

mained firm but gentle. He guided me toward a dark stairwell, l

ead fell over me. I had always been afraid of th

e ropes bit into my wrists, and my shoulders ached as he pulled

nt from Dante's sharp commands. But something was calculatin

trying to make me trust him? I refused to cry,

...Serena

e truly cared, but I couldn't trust him. Not after everyt

k since the poisonous juice Vittoria had forced down my throat earlier.

d inches from my lips. My body screamed for it, my thirst

regret. "But I can't defy my brother. He told m

course, I thought bitterly. I'm still just a pawn for them. I f

You don't know my brother. He's ruthless. If he wants

tsteps echoed down the hall

alities diverged. One of them smirked at me, his dark eyes filled with playful malice.

Dad?" Amusement laced his voice as he s

as degrading in his tone as if he found

protective. "She is Don Morett

ith cold disgust, his muscula

lion dollars on this

them see how much their words hurt. Every degrading comment

wild, unpredictable eyes danced with mischief a

f spiders, young lady

something wrong with him, something even more d

im a warning look, but he just laugh

y hair. "There are no ghosts here. Just us." But his words held n

voice thundered from the hallway

he hall. Father has an

stiffened, dread cl

t n

r gentle, a reminder that any kindness was temporary, conditi

raced, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was c