Until You Say Stop

ou just let yourself drift, lulled by the low hum of the engine and the cold glass of the window against

ur phone bu

ssage th

na

ri

at pause. That flicker of resistance tha

pe to p

ce says, low and steady.

e driver, still silent, eyes fixed ahe

lias," y

of si

id he to

fl

N

that's the only answer t

ne goe

your breath until the mansion g

tires, and your heartbeat starts to quicken. Not out of fear, exac

n't greet you with

's a

la

oma

hampagne and someth

into view-barefoot, holding a half-full glass, wrapped

le when she sees

cat who's already finished her

rties-but ageless in that expensive, careless way. Her eyes are

on't

sauntering closer. "He did

ay no

athetic. "Poor thing. You look like yo

u?" you fin

gr

ia

t offer a

weet and dangerous. "I'm the one who b

tomach

he driver clo

if you're steppi

just walked

't answ

of the rain outside-but it's not the cold that makes your breath shallow. It's the way she looks at y

ing the liquid in her glass. "I'

now you were

ay as though she owns it. And may

e you want to-but beca

d. Every wall listening. The portraits seem to shif

ou to the s

old over the rim of her wineglass as she sinks into

f you're allowed to enter, unsu

. "You're not the first girl to look at

rd. "What are

lower this time. So

eg over the other. Her robe slips slightly. You

"Adrian doesn't let

-dry, full of history. "He

e sits heavy

de, the door whisperi

he owe yo

yes flick

nd-just one-he

ryth

wn. The sound is too

. "Before the mansion. Before the control. Before

omach t

d him," y

im," she

h the air out

, you forget

eerie elegance. Stops just close enough for

. "But don't make the mistake

on stretc

th

oor o

of yo

ri

lln

r. Not at first. His

te," he sa

mouth, but not

, just exhales an

s. "I was just reminding

she's

g there, the silence

eps f

r chin in

your f

d she sa

head, voice s

a second, it's lik

d, he

airs," he

ob

art still pounding, Liana's v

ade

udden

ich one of them is

irs with your pul

, like something behind the walls is waiting for you to breathe wro

rs lining the hallway. You don't want to see if hers is ope

en you close your bed

r bedro

st sle

t move to change. You just sink onto the edge of the bed and press your palms aga

id I m

part is... y

ne buzze

't want

yo

ew me

n

three

e t

n't as

lread

arper. Every step feels like a decision you already regret

wai

, sleeves rolled, collar open, eyes unreadab

peak as you

with a slow finality that

e says eventually, voice smooth

on't

there's

you anything until it's

s. "Before the rules. Before the structure. Be

ms. It's instinc

was she?

like the quest

w, deliberate, like he's wei

he says. "Before I le

ding your breath until he re

was nev

be

ould kn

link

hy is s

our jaw. "Because s

runs throug

oes tha

in, lips brus

to see if the doll I

t let you step back. His hand fin

," he says. "But I'm not going to st

a whisper. "So I'm

sh with something

ys. "You're

lease

rn

dn't just rip the flo

u don'

t

know something y

just part

st still haun

yo

one holdi

sleep th

colder thoughts, staring at the ceiling li

gives you

sound of laught

an

if Adrian i

that yo

out. You slip into the shower without thinking, scrubbing your skin t

into the dining room,

urse

a silk robe that should be indecent but somehow looks like armor.

're the

look up wh

an d

in black, tie abandoned, sleeves roll

and there's somethin

re's no

Liana purrs, fin

on't

toward the chair

it

ord i

es no room for

u

like she's measuring you. Not like a rival. More like a

she says lightly,

f it's a complim

e. "She's not here

"No? Then why is she st

fore you can

noti

se she

, assessing. Then, he moves to the table, sets a hand on yo

ess

ed to prove any

oftly, setting

eeds to prove something

ee it

rack

s b

you almos

t's t

you more than

't just

e to unmake

be

be

be

e she's walked this path a thousand times. She leans

dances better than the

e turns

e she does

n't lo

wo

breath is

he's not

ian's s

n't d

con

om without waitin

behind is thick wit

's hand still warm on your shoulder,

ou re

beginning

a

a

wa

onger sure who

u're figh