His Laws, Her Chains

the mansion's gates with a strang

g was ha

re tense, their movements sharper. The house, usually brimming wit

s ones-no, these were different. She had seen the men arriving in

to his world, but

angerous wa

toward the door, draped in his long bla

s lea

ptly. "Where a

dn't

acknowledg

How he acted like she was nothing, like she d

gain, louder this time. "

me, he

s head, his dark eye

ld

ach

he weight of his silence

uestions," he finally said,

nto her palms.

"Then you will learn

y. But before she could respond, he

shut beh

e was

-

without him

his absence. That without his suffocating pr

the mansion

their usual routines, but something was off. T

as telling h

merely given her a blank stare before walking away. The mai

spoke h

she couldn't shake

disappear without a trace. And yet, a

Did he often va

omething

gered in her min

seventh night, ev

-

as l

eerie silence that made the walls

en

r en

ano

ulse quickening. She threw off th

iercing the darkness. Doors slammed. Shadows move

ng was

tted Lorenzo stepping out, fol

eath h

xan

rmally did, with that effortless comma

as h

spreading in deep crimson patches. His coat was gone, and hi

in

her bare feet padding against the cold marble. She reached the grand stai

fr

eared with dried blood. A deep gash ran along his side, jus

his

han

Unboth

eaving a trail of

urt," she

r. Didn't even ackno

ders. "Get the first

d, her voice sharper than

Alexander cut in, h

oat tig

before nodding.

said quickl

m fell

rowed, as if debati

r said n

't a

t ref

ow, that

im to his bedroom, his

, hands steadying as she pe

eath h

rs-old ones, new ones. Evidenc

ngry, bleeding. A bullet had grazed hi

wly. "This is g

n't re

iseptic-soaked clot

noth

watching her, com

d the cloth. How could som

not fee

ot feel

her movements precise, her min

it all, he d

breathe di

on weighed on her. She sat back, e

espo

s dark gaze

in his expression-so

e turne

e didn't

n anything, made h

-