a's

out of my room, leaving me breathless and shak

long to

touch, the way my pulse still pounded, as if

ll is happe

nything that would sto

hardwood floors. The house was silent, but not the peaceful kind. It was the kind

re, I was

ble, his name carved into every wall, every corner. And worst o

o get ou

nding in my chest. The estate stretched endlessly before me: a sprawling labyrinth of perfectly t

, my hands trembling as I tried t

ower,he was power. It bled from him in every word, every move

his sight

reath, wrapping my

y

. But Leo looked at me like I was something more: like I was someth

ost terri

part of me wante

myself

skin burned u

tched when he spoke in t

o know what it would feel lik

ing my head. No. I cou

d to ge

en I h

tst

eady, de

ne, but it wasn't fear.

antic

im before I eve

e

-moving storm: dangerous, inevitable. He d

y still, my pulse hamm

s voice smooth, controlled. But beneath it, I

eeping my back to h

le

ow, measured steps closin

Testing how close he co

hind me, the heat of hi

tance will hel

eath

me, I d

" I said, forcing my v

almost amused. "Spac

this. From whatever game

ainst my arm, and I su

," he murmured. "When I w

forcing myself

with something raw,

id, my voice uneven. "I'm not

o something almost

hard. "You d

zing slowness. "I claim what's mine, Lyra." His thumb brushed my l

my body re

I shivered u

d to push closer inst

"This is insane," I whispered. "I don't e

his fingers slipping to my throa

he said, his voice like a slow caress. "Because you look at

, not enough to hurt, but e

," he murmured, his

hakily. "Yo

ned. "You'll le

t warning, h

ime, it wa

esperate, bruisin

low. Cal

intoxicatin

l the full weight of his control before deepening it: bef

gers clutching his shirt, my resolve

me against him, until there was nothing

p," he murmured

hou

eded

coul

eady too

o the sensitive skin just beneath

d at his words, a dangerou

ught harder. Sho

my head tilting as he kissed the hollow of

growled aga

ed my ey

ted

w much I w

't give him

ing space between us, my breath

is hands flexing like he was

e murmured, stepping even closer,

pooling low in my stomach at t

ng myself to breathe,

mistake," I

rk, lethal. "The

and for a terrifying mo

. "I need time," I said

the time you need, Lyra." His lips curved into something danger

back into the shadows, leaving me standin

ew he wa

alread

t ready to a