rawling gardens stretched before her, meticulously groomed yet suffocating in their perfection. The grand stru

red suit was as flawless as his composure, and he gestured toward the heavy wooden doors wi

ered, his voic

e doors opened as if on cue, revealing a grand foyer illuminated by an elaborate crystal c

dable. One nodded slightly at Luca, who ignored them and placed a hand on Elena's lo

ch me," sh

alm. "You're in my house now.

osed to just

tone turning cold

inthine hallways. Her defiance was all she had left, but ev

said, her voice shaking slig

tch

oked more like a five-star hotel suite. The bed was massive, draped in dark silk sheets, and the windows

," Luca said, stepping

her arms. "You think a pretty

. "Would you pre

n't tell if he was joking. Either way, the shi

lare. "You'll eat when I tell you, and you won't

ightened.

vy as his green eyes locked onto hers. "And Elena? Don't mistak

ay even as her stomach churned. "If yo

witched, as if her defian

oor clicking shut behind him. Elena waited a beat bef

tered, slamming her

nating between fear and fury. Her father had sold her like a piece of furni

wouldn't

w. Not

-

to sleep. She sat curled up in the armchair by the window, staring at t

rrying the scent of night-blooming flowers. The drop to the ground was

more information-how many guards there were, what their

of the door unlocking. She froze, her breath c

ungry," he said, setting

ed, her stomach g

amusement dancing in hi

es as if he had all the time in the world. E

ked, pulling out a l

o you

ough the pages. "I don't.

l, d

nd rich. "You're a terrible co

r," she shot back. "Shouldn't y

lena. You're here because your father couldn't pay his debts. If

ed to let him see her fear. "And I

expression hardening. "Y

hung between them, suf

with his hand on the handle. "

r w

g unreadable flickering in their depths.

ng her alone with the tray of f

-

of the door unlocking again. She sat up, disorient

e bed. She was in her mid-thirties, with warm brown eyes and a calmi

Elena asked, he

DeLorenzo asked me to

es suspiciously. "Wh

ed gently. "You have brea

not h

e," Rosa said, her

e wasn't in the mood to eat-or to deal with Luca-

dress, and Elena couldn't help but feel li

in knots. Luca sat at the head of the table, sipping coff

said, his tone an

es," she replied, sitting

o his omelet with precisi

t of her. She hated how good it smelled, hated

t what I said?" he ask

' speech?" she shot back. "Yeah, I've

s head. "You're going to

she said, meeting his gaze with

her. "You have no idea what kind of wo

care. I didn't

d whether you like it or not, you're part of this no

She refused to give him the satisfaction o

"You're mine, Elena. The sooner you stop fighting it,

the power he held over her, but a small, traitorous part of h

she said, her voice t

rk and knowing cu