Crimson Sanctuary

ra's

ded down the hallway the next morning, my

chest like a shield, heart

that trusting anyone, especially a man like Rafael Mor

softer, stubborn whis

t o

ne could be kind without ex

back of the mansion, the door half-ope

s, his dark hair a little messy, like he'd b

, and something unreadable flickered acr

ly hi

my voic

hispered, so soft I wa

ssion did

k, no m

ness, like he was wa

etly, the low rumble of his voice oddly

eling foolish,

e... note. It

ought he might s

his gaze on the papers spread be

ice cool now. "You're free to sta

ache opened u

e pushing

pposed to come wit

supposed to

me a choice and acting lik

hat hurt worse

rising in my throat

I mumbled

p me when I t

ael'

own the hall, I closed my ey

coward, a voice i

as safer

me now, before th

er like I'd ruine

the endless stack of paperwork when my

mi

red imm

al

ice wa

got a p

urse

e chair, pinching t

w b

thought. Put out word last night to some of the nastier crews

nt s

iv

unha

sa

breat

start to rise - the same violence I

uch?"

c muttered. "And one of our boys spotted a black

weight of it all pre

care what th

ouldn'

fragile, still trying

ealize how much d

e'd disappeared, clutching my st

d

rd to stay dist

nted to kee

No one gets near this house wit

boss," Domini

esit

bout this?

oorway, where echoes of

I said

m s

ra's

se was

qu

cho louder inside me, bo

railing my fingers along the polished walls,

ld hav

st like I always did

me anchored here - somethi

rary, I fo

ad frame tense, shoulders hunched like h

my throa

urted, wishing I sounded braver. "If sta

eyes darker than I

ce was soft, but there was something

what to think,

t me - like he was weighing a thous

ed the room in three strides an

ke

up at him

prisoner, Amar

lower now, a

ave. You want to stay? You

embled in

efore I could stop m

and raked a hand

" he said finally. "To belong t

t him, stu

met him, I realized - Rafael

as h

lik

ing else, a sharp buzz split the moment - hi

e body we

the call, his voice

al

versation, but I saw the change in him -

- just once - before s

them?" he growle

pa

clenched a

afael ordered. "N

r paus

e a move, we

all e

his face was carefully blank, t

e said quietly. "And stay t

awed up

?" I demanded, my

ing closer,"

going to

more answers - but he was already movi

the key he gave me, hea

as still

e me whispered that runn

anym

r better o

uste