-thick, inescapable. Damien stood there, unmoved, his grey eyes

gry," he s

ess acquisition, disappeared for two days, and now I'm just supposed t

his glass. "I told yo

w marriages wo

that what you think

hat else woul

ply. "A deal your father mad

s hit li

my heart pounding. "

sy for you, Elena. You live here. You wear the ring. You attend the functions.

?" I asked, breath t

nches away.

e more than I'd

ing," I sa

ing to understand me.

. I pulled it from my pocket, grateful for the inter

u

n that instant, his entire demeanor shift

away and

uc

eared. You're not answering texts. I called your fa

en was still watc

talk right no

sharp now. "I saw a photo. You were with

e was ans

d, breathing hard. "Are yo

ickly. "It's... i

this man-he destroyed your family. He'

o," I said,

he atmosphere around him was tenser now-l

ced the phone on

worried," Damien

oyfriend," I s

ve. "Because he sounds like a m

owns me,

o. At least on paper. And I don't like shar

him, pulse

thing you don't want but keep a

swer. He did

and stormed ou

-

t N

me, each corner whispering reminders of the life I'd signed away. I

of black coffee sat waiting, along with a plate of

ly," Marcel said from behind me. "He lef

urse

" I muttere

appetite. My phone buzzed a

Monaco. Don't

essage, panic ris

ll was I su

-

That A

, darker. The hallway was lined with photos-mostly black-and-white, all of the

seen in the house. Unlike the others, this one was painted black

why, but something abou

g when Anastasia a

s off limits

, startl

on the polished floor. "Because what'

?" I asked quietl

are enough to arrange things. But I

n lik

tty. Easil

"I'm not as breaka

wed. "That's what his

fr

long," she added,

-

en

e library, pretending to

d-measured, unhurried. He walked in, jacket

ust poured himself a drink an

door," he s

"What's

ries. Some locked aw

not an

me. "You're n

eep pushing me like I'm m

e not glass. You're fire. Dangerous w

ouldn't have lit t

time, there was something wild in h

r father. I wanted him to feel powerless. To know that the dau

sleep anywhere n

et

in the air l

t you win,"

n this might ac

-

That

r message from Lu

lready i

thundering. Damien couldn't fi

leted t

dea that Damie