Because you're mine: Forced Vows

a cage, Mila

orners like someone tried to decorate with a scalpel. The windows stretch floor to ceilin

s bare

o his men, maybe exchanging a look with me, and then he's gone again. Always

at's all I

t asking

y. Car

ekeeper, who flinches when she speaks his name. To the driver who speaks just a little to

her p

gme

n. And still, I want more because the more I kno

.. something-I hadn't listened past the part where I realized the city's most dan

tention of wasting becaus

was designed to

ist. I swept my hair up and left a few strands loose to frame my face. M

s hiccuped. I wasn't sure if they were staring because they knew who I was-or beca

moment and I caught Luca

ide and women who tried too hard to catch his attention. His suit was black-

, and something moved between us

Slow. De

did

nd then he looked away as if dismissing a temp

ion I won't bother discussing so I quickly slipped into t

own cousin over a deb

nother corrected. "Poison

him? His family shuts them down. They say Luca

nd like a man who would sp

le glances at him. Some with hunge

rmured behind me. "The girl he's engaged

nother hissed. "O

re, but even Luca's own

a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Luca isn't one you

out of the crowd, the noise st

eded

l, a blessing against my fevered skin. I leaned agai

behind me which brought me b

I recognized him now. He'd been watching

expensive suit, a face that might have on

oice too smooth and I was co

ondering what his problem was and then I noticed he

d in that dress, turning heads like

step to leave since he was most likely

like the others," he said, leaning in, the alcohol on his breath f

ore he pushed me against the stone column, his mouth too close. " Now let's se

ac

by a grunt as he's yanked off me wit

d, dazed and that

u

slacks, rolled sleeves, and bl

islocated jaw but Luca doesn't hesitate as he draws a sleek p

says, "You touched what's mine." And the man

ring that we're at an event and there are pe

I still flinch like it shattered my

eat, breathing slowly and controlled,

hing insid

pression? Blank. Like what just happened

. And for the first time since this whole nightmare be

i isn't jus

in a desi

ly another guard, but I don't look as he walks towar

Doesn't ask if I'm okay, just looks at me

he says quiet

it's hoarse and hollow. "W

a smile but something colder. "Y

wake and I'm still frozen. Because for all my fire, all

st f

to the man now shadowing

l don't mo

in-the blood, the finality and most especially