wallowing up the space around him. The dim light from the city outside cast long shadows, deepening the hollowness in h

he observed, his voice

uggling to find her voice.

, his gaze never leaving her. His eyes were too sharp, too calculatin

ter a moment, his voice barely abov

ked away from him, only to stop when her back hit

ped in the immensity of his presence. "It means you and I are no longer pretending," he

the weight of his words sinking in

lose now-too close. The air between them was thick with te

ce low, intense. "You'll give me what I

ach twisted

hat was unyielding. His touch was possessive, like a brand being seared into her skin. "Y

her heart pounding in her c

corners of his lips. "I th

y last ounce of dignity she had left. The way he looked at her-it

repeated, his voice darkening.

ords flying from her mouth before she could stop them. "Why don'

f something in his eyes-something dangero

grip tightening around her wrist. "I'm asking for every

threatening to drown her. She would not let him take

e trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "You can

er wrist. Instead, he leaned in closer, his breath

don't need your love. I need an heir. And you're

. There was no room for negotiation. No room for escape. And t

ed, his voice so soft it se

her voice. The silence th

e air was unbearable. And then, without warning, Dorian rel

re yourself," he said, his voice

bling, her heart racing in her chest. She wanted to scream. T

alrea

ere, staring at the empty space where he had been. Her breath came in

s did, but his presence loomed over her like a storm cloud waiting to break. He didn't need to

ore than a tool-a

p down. But now, it felt like

arriage, Dorian came to her aga

ating. There was no warmth in his gaze, no tendern

he moment she had dreaded was up

ached out to grab her hand. His grip was

s time deeper into his grip. She was a prisoner of he

e beneath the ice.

fhan

side her-something dark, something dangerous. She wasn't sure if it

asn't seeing. Something D

would