aze of hedges that felt stifling and unnatural. The room was opulent and impersonal, every trace of me, of us, carefully erased. My clothes were in the closet, but they felt like they

the storm in my head. Sleep was a shallow, restless thing, and when it finally came, it brought nightmares. I dreamt I was running through that garden maze, the hedges growing taller and tal

he room was still dark, but I wasn't alone. A figure stood

t in my throat.

vid's voice came out of th

en light made me blink. He was fully dressed in a dark suit, looking a

David?" I asked, pulling the sil

ep closer. "I came to check on you

nd I don't need you to check on me. We're don

s scanning my face. "This is about you a

care he used to show me. "I'd sleep better if you weren't br

he bed, his presence loo

the headboard. His hand came up, and for a terrifying second, I thought he was going to strike me. Instead, hi

low and intense. "You always have been. You think y

ts to keep it steady. "I'm trying to have some self-respect. Some

pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. My stomach twisted. I knew that box. He opened it, revealing a necklace. It was a delicate platinum

you," he said. "A w

that seemed to absorb the light in the room. It w

ting back to that cold, hard command. He too

N

t the same man who used to hold my hand so gently. This man was all sh

. I could feel his fingers brushing my skin as he worked the clasp. The click of it fastening was the loudest sound i

g again. His other hand came up to cup my face, forcing

nd terrifying. I could smell his cologne, the same one he had always worn, but now i

red, my resistance broken. "If you love h

sessive. "You always will be. That piece of paper, that mis

as a kiss of ownership, a statement. I didn't respond, I just froze, my body rigid with a mixture of

ll attend the party. You will wear my gift. And you will smile. Because if you don't," he paused, his gaze dropping to the n

rd as the sapphire against my skin. He stood up, smoo

urning to a casual, almost business-lik

and still clutching the necklace. It wasn't a gift. It was a leash. And he had just made it clear that he was holding the other end. I was trapped, not just in this house, but in his