't hes

icked shut behind Dant

to budge against my frantic attempts. The doors were secured. The ven

prob

of what awaited me on the

anxiety down. If I was going to g

nning. No impu

ired a

ty, but they likely wouldn't expect me to act so soon. If I bided my time, playing

would

o other

t was the a

e Valenci's world

out of th

adied my trembling hands,

ame an hour late

mmand-stood in the doorway. Tall and lean, he fla

g," he said, gestur

n't p

t

staircase and through twisting hallways. The estate was just as oppressively luxurious as my room-dark walls

squerading

massive double doors. Luca pushe

nte

g me with inscrutable eyes. The table was laden with food-far too mu

of wealth.

had everythin

udin

g my breathing to stay even

to the seat nex

dn't

, a sly amusement curling a

e someone make you eat," he sa

mach c

ok a

tting it in front of me before dire

ing me. I didn'

o

sitant and carefully set it back down. My fingers itched f

this?" I asked, kee

t look up.

"This. Keeping me he

t me. His eyes were

nderstand th

art r

pawn," I

low and knowing

our wife. Just a possession. So what's sto

ard, his voice a

e you'r

en us crackle

self to swa

sted eno

ded t

o

breath, reached

fall from

red wine across the pristine white tablecloth. The

snapped to

already

ife, jumped to my feet, a

d, but I w

him off balance, and bolted through th

ootsteps pound

ra

lungs burning. I didn't know the layout,

turn. Anothe

forward, graspin

seized

re I was yanked back, spun around,

lattered fr

his grip ironclad on my wrist, hi

yes b

llowe

elieve you could ru

t it was futile. He didn

m. "You can't kee

is head, his v

a deep

gently, intentional, a stark cont

ttle dove," he murmured.

aced again

ver want y

e sm

u w

promise that sent

uickened. That my skin fel

athe

turning toward Luca who was nursing his jaw wit

s far f

me one last time, hi

id, "and I'll make you

both a threat

ver felt mor