surroundings. I could hear the soft clink of crystal glasses in the hallway and the occasiona

at the edge of the grand sitting room, my hands trembling as I tried to steady my breath. M

t offered mercy or second chances. He made that clear the moment he took me under his control. But in the m

id, his voice low, sending a shiver d

movement. But I had learned that showing fear, especially in his presence, was a dangerous thing. It in

myself. I could feel the pressure of his gaze

f tension through me. "Liar," he muttered, though

erate steps. The air in the room grew thicker, his presence enveloping me as though the ent

ng from his body, could smell the subtle undertone of his cologn

was barely above a whisper, but it felt like a comman

ause I'm lonely, or because you're some kind of prize?" He paused, his lips curling into a slow,

o ignore, a pull that wrapped itself around my chest and squeezed until it was almost suffocating. His pr

ing down to my shoulder, gripping me firmly. "You belong to me in

dmit that out loud. Fear had a way of twisting itself into desire, especially when it came to someone like D

y, though my voice quivered with

lder. "No, you didn't. But you'll come to see that you do.

ke? He was a king force of nature I was nothing but a slave, someone whose life had

re. Something he owned. Something h

my stomach tightening. "What

nder. "I want you to learn, Nelly. Learn what it means to belong to

-

orm Ap

st. Dante kept me close, never letting me out of his sight for too long. He

ught in the web of his attention. I had been taken from one cage only to find myself trapped in anothe

eyes softened, his touch became something other than possessive. But they were only glimpses, and they left

watching. A flicker of something that wasn't cold, wasn't c

more questions I had. And the more I real

oth a curse and a privilege. It was hard to reconcile those two truths, but they were both real.

about the matter that had been weighin

tly, his voice distant, as though he were alr

y brow, conf

expression unreadable. "Someo