ngling with the faint aroma of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked bread.

mo

r right back to reality. She traced her finger over it, the embedded

ot leave t

ted that his voice was the first thing she heard each morning th

he window. The estate grounds stretched out below: manicured rose gardens, tall iron fen

time in years she didn't wake up to Ava's fake sweet

ld glass, imagining the gardens in ink and watercolor roses tha

ed the door open, balancing two cups of coffee

inning like a boy who'd just stolen from a candy shop

g her lips. "Shouldn't you be a

sk. "I'm a busy man, Red. But Ethan's been breathing down my ne

. "I'm not

wrist lightly, his touch feather

way. Lucas sighed, plopping into her

houldn't jo

hest like armor. For a second, the silence was comforti

mischievous glint she'd come to expect. "So.

ow. "And get you k

his chest, making her giggle despite herself.

he reminded him, waving

oice. "What if I told you I could ge

stuttere

more than him. We can sneak down to the south gardens no came

es darting to the door

n softened. "You deserve a taste o

me since she woke up here, she felt something warm spr

hat led out to the south gardens. Lucas tugged her hoo

in years. The wind caught the loose strands of her hair as they step

utstretched. "No bars. No chains. Just you and me and the o

petal, velvety and w

nds in his pockets. "

grinned no sleaze, just sinceri

d keep me, too?" she asked,

tal from her shoulder. "I'd keep you if yo

reath caug

ce she'd met him. "I know I'm not the scary mafia bo

nstead, she turned to the roses again,

al. That Lucas was just her boyfriend, sneaking her

t until the crunch of gravel made Sophia sti

breath, grabbing her

wirling around his legs like smoke. He looked even more lethal in

oice soft but deadl

of Sophia. "Big bro. Look at this sunshine. Look at the

yes were on her and they burned. Not with anger

old Lucas, his voice

't move. "

ow

hand once before backing away, muttering

ses, the summer air, and the chains she t

erfoot. He stopped a breath away, so close she could smell

esting me?" he

in, refusing to back

wed. "You need

"I'm not yo

k. The sudden heat of his palm made her gasp. He forc

murmured. "You're more bou

ttered in her thro

his eyes raw, unguard

e to protect," he s

ere, hated the shiver that ran down her spine when

p me forever,"

into a cold sm

n he ki

ire and chains wrapped around her lungs. Sophia gasped against his mou

nto his bones like every breath she stole from h

his forehead rested against

cape me," he murmured, his lips br

t of anger and something worse someth

back, her voice shaking, "because I'm going t

rous as he tucked a stray stra

ward to it,