hat hummed through the villa. Lucien was still distant, more focused

. That Valentina's warning wasn't just empty words. She was

elming as ever. His suit was immaculate, his eyes colder than they had been in d

he said without preamble, his voi

was something in his tone that made h

though the words sounded rehearsed, as

herself. "You've never been about keeping me

control everything, E

ink you can own me, don't you? You think I'm ju

his fingers trailing over the bare skin of her arm. "You don't understand how

hen why didn't you tell me the truth? Why didn'

hardened. "Wh

lying to me. All this time, you've been hiding behind some carefully crafted mask. Who a

at her, his gaze unreadable. Then, in a voice

u can't even imagine. Done things that will haunt me until the day I die. I've bled, I've killed, and I'v

onesty in his words. For the first time, she saw the cracks in his a

kened. "I'm still standing. And I will never be anyone else but who I

wound. She couldn't look away, even

e whispered, shaking her he

the distance between them. "You've been pulling a

she didn't move. "W

s gaze. "I'm saying this was never about me owning you, Emilia.

. She felt the intensity of it-the raw hunger that consumed them both. She kissed hi

hless, she felt his gaze on h

he said, his voice soft but fi

to defy him, to scream at him to le

-

rning, Luci

lent, empty, and suffocating

e, feeling the weight of its walls. Everything was still, too still. His absence was like

truth behind

-

he feeling that something was wrong. T

l evening that

e urgent. She opened the door to find Valentina standing the

milia asked, her voic

d, her words clipped. "You think you

back. "I know mor

ou know this: Lucien is a liar. And ever

quickened, but

before turning to leave. "Just remember: when it al

-

ut Emilia couldn't shake the feelin

s Lucie