Bound By Sin And Desire

s

e. The marble floors, the gilded paintings-they weren't signs of wealth anymore. They were prison bars. Every day felt like

My heart pounded as I waited for the house to fall silent, listening to the faint footsteps of the guards echo through the halls. I co

breath felt like a risk, every step like a betrayal. But I couldn't stay here any longer. Dante's

t out. Freedom was just beyond this door, a few feet away. My hand was trembling as I turned the knob, and for a

ice cut throug

ught you could

ca, one of Dante's most loyal men, standing in the door

wasn't sure what I was begging for-his silence, his understanding,

to offer hope. "You don't know what you're getting into," he

est. "I can't stay here," I choked out

es-pity, maybe. "You have no idea what happens if you run, Isla.

sharp with desperation. "I'd rather

a was right? What if the world outside was more dangerous than I kn

ldn't stop.

st as they could take me. For a moment, I felt the rush of freedom. The night air h

en I f

crashed into something solid-someone-and my breath was knocked fro

seen before. My heart pounded in my chest, a wild, fra

angerous, each word dripping with venom. He pulled me closer, hi

self free, but his grip only tightened, his

ainst my ear. "You've been mine from the moment y

s that threatened to spill. "You don't own

nerable, but it was gone before I could make sense of it. "Is that what you think?

eld my ground. "Wha

me go. But then, just as quickly, his hands were on me again

his voice low and deadly. "And yo

me. The fear, the anger, the suffocating weight of his presence-it was too much. But

very part of me-my fear, my desperation, my confusion. And then, his hand moved from my arm to my

ter now, almost tender. "It's not. It's about you, Isla. You

pine, but I couldn't ignore the way my body reacted to him-the

e whispered, his lips dangerou

ull that had taken root deep inside me. But I couldn't. Not with t

I had tried to escape. He was terrified of losing me. And no matter how much

eyes, and his voice was a low, dangerous promise. "You're