Owned by the enemy

turn to the off

I wanted to make sense of the man I was bound to, and for a fleeting mo

un rose, and I

ga

otionally drowning in this arrangement. I hated even more that despite all the bittern

-

g, I decided to

ng-to distract myself from the b

he titles. I traced my fingers across the spines, looking for somet

en I fo

y. Old. The leather was

r my arm and head

d been trimmed to perfection, but there were wild vines curling up the fence

beneath a massive olive

track

the aching words-it reminded me that passion existed som

esting

attered my pe

an

ven heard h

ressed in dark slacks and a button-up shirt w

. Dangerous

"Didn't peg you fo

and. "Didn't peg you for someone

a smile touc

aid. "That belong

ords t

e stone bench, just far enough

your mother like

I couldn't sleep," he said. "Es

rld always l

oment too long. "Louder

-

was a

in

n

something for him, bu

mes it was heavy. As if he was carrying

, turned it toward him.

ebrow. "You're g

st o

ted-but to

hen he

cited a poem about longing and loss. The words sounded lik

I realized I'd been

the book. L

aid anything for

t," he finally

r go-to exit

itter. "No. Just a reminder tha

-

't eat dinner in th

He poured the wine himself. Served my plate. We d

ng was s

brea

-

at followed

ten than not. But when he wa

hing. He even brought me a new book one eveni

ut it meant more th

myself watc

late. He had endless phone calls. He paced when he

he thought no one could

l mu

Slow, hau

him that didn't fit the h

n ways I hadn't

onder if we were both ju

-

ing through the hall, I

One of them was Luca-

," Luca said. "What

," the other man replied. "You don't

ood ra

e talking

a threat," L

ion. He can't affo

steps. I slipped around the c

-

ed, staring at the ceil

idea what

ge hi

was it

being w

se

I felt like a bomb ticking in the ce

d D

retending

-

rning, I dem

il he returned from a meet

e?" I asked as so

change. But the room

using,"

ther tactic to win over the council?

rkened. "You

't answer th

forward, slo

arriage," he said. "But I

fro

t care," I

nough for me to feel t

aven't touched you because I respect the war inside you. But make

ulse

't know m

n let

near my cheek-but

at, breathless, n

finally wa

ng me

-

t, I could

beside me in bed, st

fore midnight, the

stepped

d no

ved his jacket, and sat

," he said. "Not un

eath c

p pretending this

he lay dow

tou

h that the silen

, I wasn't afraid of fa

raid of w