na's

was to

rniture. The faint scent of polished wood and something darker - cologne, smok

t. Not yet. Not until I figu

ris

st

oom waitin

edding dress. The hem was scorched from the chande

see the

know I r

Not timid. Not lo

st

ait for my

e owned the floorboards. Black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elb

ped. I hated

he door b

dn't

late,"

d. "I wasn't awar

wer

ntrolled, like a predator in no

voice sharp, "is that

eve in separa

d, stepping back

-

a's

was

o

he torn hem of her dress exposed just enough thigh to s

bet

n't tremble. Her

still in

was the

pped

teppe

e to seduce

ged. "Then what a

s from her. "To

er arms. "Of

our

-

na's

skin tightened, alert. He didn't touch me -

our prison

aid. "You'

e it sou

is w

here had to be some - no man could be this c

want a wi

n't de

back, but he follo

obedienc

replied,

want

s head. "Wr

hat?" I

pinned me

stop pretending

ained from

-

a's

e it

fl

ession, but I saw it. I kn

ted me

r... part of h

aw

to tip. Neither retreating. Bot

stare first,

lowly, close enough to

se when he touched you the wrong way. You stabbed a boy in the thigh at a par

impress me?" she aske

" I

to remind you

owly, mouth p

ou're better

think I'm worse. But

kisse

-

na's

sn't

s a c

p - not rough, not gentle, just final - and then

ses

ll, refusin

to give

the edge of the dresser

un. Not fr

m r

m h

that scared me

ack, his breath

he said, low and sure,

appe

a

d barel

ed was louder than the

ere, breat

I'd just shown him

he sm

. Not tr

re

long it would ta

away, leaving the d

-

a's

choed as I desce

. Uncontroll

rf

love me. I didn't eve

broken in exact

shat

fi

ed lik

almost

-

na's

n't s

the dark sea beyond the cliff. The Moretti est

kiss over and o

use I wa

I needed to

The power behind i

seduce me. He kissed

d show

had cons

idn't r

-

e was a note sli

nce, type

'clock. Don't make

t it, hear

om my nightstand, slid it int

e Devi

-

twenty minutes late, fully d

his coffee without

late,"

om him, lifted my glass

used