he haunting feeling of his presence still lingered, clouding her every thought. The days dragged o

His touch. The unnerving certainty in his eyes. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Every time she tr

ver felt s

im consume her the way he seemed to be doing. But what choice did she have? The mansion, the family, the life she had built it all f

. I have to ge

to escape, there was no hiding from the Morettis. Not when they had their hands in every

nterrupted by a sha

out, soft yet insistent

ne who seemed the least interested in the chaos that had become her life. He was th

e. He stood there, his tall frame shadowed by the dim li

she asked, her

r quietly, as though making sure no one would overhear. "I need to

d at the mention of h

ed, unwilling to entertain another conversat

n't expected. "He won't let you go. Not until he has you. And I don't think you understand j

uickened. "Wha

helming, and it made Lena's heart skip, though she tried to shake it off. "I'm trying to warn you, Lena. He'll break y

u're telling me you know what he's capable of

He paused, as though weighing his next words carefully. "Xavier doesn't just want you. He needs you. And there's something

in her throat. "What

should have. She quickly pushed the thought away, focusing on his words instead. "Xavier isn't just after your body. He's after your loyalty. And if he has to break you

eat of Antonio's body too close to hers. She

his?" she asked, her voic

that she couldn't quite place concern, perhaps? Maybe something else. "Because I'm not like

to believe anymore. Xavier was a monster, but Antonio... he was different. Or

r voice shaky. "I don't know how to fight h

a magnetic force she couldn't ignore. It made her heart thrum in a way she didn't understand. "You don't have to fight alone," he said softly, his voice like a promi

hich he spoke. She had to remind herself she couldn't afford to be distracte

at him?" she asked, he

e that Lena could almost feel the warmth of his breath. For a moment, she thought he might rea

said those words, something in the way his gaze lingered on hers that made her question whether he meant more than he

id, her voice firm, despite the

It was a smile she hadn't seen from him before warm, almost prote

eart still racing, a mix of fear and something else she couldn't name. She had a choice to make, and the time to dec

er what happened, the battle f