zie

the dining room had been a trembling journey. I had spent what felt like an hour in the bathroom, staring at my reflection-at

agony and regret in his eyes. His words echoe

nd my heart. I had never considered that behind his cold demands, he might have invested something real. My body, my instincts, my very blood cried out for him. Was it merely the physiolo

Emerson, what do you really want? Did I want to spend my life fighting an exha

cision settled d

ould be. High atop the estate sat an open-air terrace overlo

s. He was shirtless, the cool night air silvering the powerful

urprise flickered across his face,

?" he asked, his voice r

ing his gaze without flinching. "

d. Not because I've surrendered, and not because I love you. It means I accept our situatio

igid with disbelief.

non," I repeated quietl

ve. The icy guard in his expression shattered, consumed by a rushing,

toward the bedroom. His stride was ravenous, yet beneath that terrif

hovering over me as the moon

" he commanded, his

tilt my head back, leaving the delicate curve of my throat completely exposed. I felt his

y of those teeth,

reflex. My shoulders locked into stone, my fingers clutching t

te nev

cked through the air. The cr

" Gannon spat, stumbl

e was glaring down at me, his fa

ing with wounded fury. "And the second I touch you, you cl

ed, scrambling up on the

I waited months, Kenzie. I didn't hold back this long just to take you while you pretend you're somewhere else." He ran a han

ned to

back, a blinding fire

from behind. When he turned with a scowl, I stepped squarely into his p

the kno

lk pool onto the floor. I stood before him completely bare, bathed in pale silver

Are they shut? I am not a victim, and I am not a

d tangled in my hair, his arm crushing my bare waist against his burning ch