Bound By Shadows And Desire

't hes

icked shut behind Dant

to budge against my frantic attempts. The doors were secured. The ven

prob

of what awaited me on the

anxiety down. If I was going to g

nning. No impu

ired a

ty, but they likely wouldn't expect me to act so soon. If I bided my time, playing

would

o other

t was the a

e Valenci's world

out of th

adied my trembling hands,

ame an hour late

mmand-stood in the doorway. Tall and lean, he fla

g," he said, gestur

n't p

t

staircase and through twisting hallways. The estate was just as oppressively luxurious as my room-dark walls

squerading

massive double doors. Luca pushe

nte

g me with inscrutable eyes. The table was laden with food-far too mu

of wealth.

had everythin

udin

g my breathing to stay even

to the seat nex

dn't

, a sly amusement curling a

e someone make you eat," he sa

mach c

ok a

tting it in front of me before dire

ing me. I didn'

o

sitant and carefully set it back down. My fingers itched f

this?" I asked, kee

t look up.

"This. Keeping me he

t me. His eyes were

nderstand th

art r

pawn," I

low and knowing

our wife. Just a possession. So what's sto

ard, his voice a

e you'r

en us crackle

self to swa

sted eno

ded t

o

breath, reached

fall from

red wine across the pristine white tablecloth. The

snapped to

already

ife, jumped to my feet, a

d, but I w

him off balance, and bolted through th

ootsteps pound

ra

lungs burning. I didn't know the layout,

turn. Anothe

forward, graspin

seized

re I was yanked back, spun around,

lattered fr

his grip ironclad on my wrist, hi

yes b

llowe

elieve you could ru

t it was futile. He didn

m. "You can't kee

is head, his v

a deep

gently, intentional, a stark cont

ttle dove," he murmured.

aced again

ver want y

e sm

u w

promise that sent

uickened. That my skin fel

athe

turning toward Luca who was nursing his jaw wit

s far f

me one last time, hi

id, "and I'll make you

both a threat

ver felt mor