ella

ed open. Damien stepped into the living area, the air around him instantly dropping in temperature. He stopped d

ked onto the empty glass vial rest

't furious about the prevention of a child-he was enraged by the blatant disrespect. This safe house was his d

his voice a low, vibrating thr

nsume me. Swallowing my terror, I closed the distance between us. I raised a t

d his lethal gaze. I leaned in closer, letting my breath ghost

a dark, guttural sound, his large hands gripped my hips, lifting me effortlessly. He took me right there again

the side table, but my eyes kept drifting to the heavy leather-bound ledger open on his massive desk. Columns of numbers. Money. Blood. If I could under

by the math,

large hand rested heavily, possessively, on my waist. He gestured toward the corner of the room where my newly

ed my face for a trap. "All the finery a woman could ever desi

reedy girl dazzled by wealth, or a woman with dangerou

nd reached up to trace the cold, brilliant ruby necklace at my throat. "The dre

him to see: a shallow, materialistic pet, easily controlled by luxury. He didn't see the boat ticket back to Sici

e heavy oak door sh

ut. "Luca Viti is here. He was sent to formally dis

like a physica

me when we were children. He represented a life of normalcy and decency I could never have again. Panic seized my

I should go to my room," I choked out, my

sh against his chest. He felt my violent trembling. His amber eyes darkened, shifting from calcula

ot going

nd Viti in, Leo," Damien commanded, his grip on me bruising. "He's here to dis