Chained By Desire

me, but I pushed it down and k

a deep, familiar

Matteo sat on the same plush sofa he had occupied the day before,

ed away from the doorway, closing the doo

leaving no room for argument. He

he silence in the room felt suffocating, with no one else present. Matteo's

rves were stretched thin, dreading what his answer might be. I

alk to you,"

caught off

ging at the corners of his li

hen gestured fo

el your father's debt," he said, his

body stiffening as sho

d, his tone casual yet firm, "and

I stared at him, horrified. Every muscl

up entirely, just to erase a debt? What would h

ough my voice wavered. "

d, seeming more amused th

oing to sell myself to you. I'll work every nigh

k into the sofa. "The deadline for the debt is to

. My mind went blank, and I found myself

ked, leaning closer until his

, my throat too

he folded his arms across his chest. "Do you have any idea what

Ivy was my world-my reason for fighting. If a

begged, my voice breaking a

Matteo seemed to enjoy my vulnerab

ving you twenty-four hours. Agree to be mine, and I'll erase the

nty-four hours? That wasn't enough tim

dered, his tone

beneath me. My tear-streaked face was hot w

my mind like a curse: "Jus

-

moil. Matteo's deep voice played over and over in my head

ours, Elara," I repe

more than a possession-a tool to erase my father's debt. And what w

he might hurt us. H

r boiled over, and I felt like screaming. My hatred for my father burned hott

my vision as de

en, and Ivy stepped inside, h

d off, her eyes narrowing as she took in

, pretending to search for something inside i

Aren't you supposed t

"Ever since you came back last night, you've been

s, but they came anyway. Before I knew it,

rapped her arms around me, h

" she coaxed gently, pu

me to sell myself to him," I sai

arkened with

he deadline has passed, and now he wants me to agree to his te

you're some kind of object to be trad

.." I stammered, unable

's fault. He got us into this mess, not you. We shouldn't ha

e face of danger, she was unshakable, a

n hours, a spark of h

e city tonight,"

startled. "Whe

ane lives there-I'll ask her about it today. Maybe

ip, then nodde

ckly. "Don't tell anyone what we're doing. He gave me

I whispered, "I love you," and hurried out