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She darts away with a burst of speed that’s both surprising and futile, her figure swiftly disappearing down the grand corridor that leads from the entrance hall.
My mansion, with its sprawling layout and countless rooms, might seem like the perfect setting for an escape, but I know its every nook and cranny, every hidden passage and locked door.
“Emma, good luck!” My voice echoes down the hall after her, a blend of amusement and a warning she’s unlikely to heed. I give her the head start, counting slowly to ten, savoring the anticipation of the chase.
I stride after her, my steps measured and silent on the thick carpets that line the hallways. The mansion unfolds around me, a series of opulent living spaces, through the grand ballroom with its floor-to-ceiling windows draped in heavy velvet, then into a library filled with ancient tomes.
Turning another corner, I glimpse the hem of her dress as she dashes through the conservatory, the moonlight casting ghostly shadows among the exotic plants and marble statues.
“Getting tired yet?” I call out, my voice laced with an edge of challenge. “I want you to have plenty of energy for what I’ve got planned.”
She doesn’t respond, her silhouette a fleeting ghost as she slips through a barely-open door into the east wing, the part of the mansion unused since my mother died.
It’s filled with guest rooms and unused spaces. I follow swiftly, the thrill of the hunt a pulsing beat in my veins.
This wing, with its long, deserted corridors and closed doors, feels colder, the air tinged with the scent of lavender and old wood, a reminder of my mother.
Emma’s footsteps are a distant echo, a testament to her desperation and determination. I admire her spirit, even as I close the distance between us with every stride.
Finally, I spot her at the end of a hallway, her back to me as she frantically tries to open a door that leads to the gardens. It’s locked, of course.
“Game over.” My voice is soft, barely more than a whisper, but in the silence, it carries. She turns, defeat and defiance mingling in her eyes as she faces me, her back against the cool wall, her chest heaving with exertion.
She goes to push past me but I grab hold of her, pressing her body into mine.
The moment of capture is electric, charged with an intensity that neither of us can deny. Her desire for freedom, so palpable and fierce, clashes with the reality of her situation—caught, not just by the confines of the mansion but by the strength of my grip on her body.
“I told you,” I whisper in her ear. “I never make a wager without knowing the outcome.” I brush a lock of hair from her face.
“You can’t run from your desire,” I say, my voice low, my body mere inches from hers. “Or from me. Your life is in danger, and whether you like it or not, I’m the only one who can protect you. This is your home now.”
“So you’re kidnapping me? Is that it?”
“Call it protection. It sounds less criminal. You’ll like your new home if you give it a chance.”
Her defiance flares, a spark in the depths of her eyes. “I don’t need your protection,” she insists, though we both know it’s not true. “And this is a prison, not a home.”
“Why fight this? You know you want me. Lily lt slip as much to Matteo. Obsessed with me since you took the job, as I recall.”
“I hate you,” she whispers, her words a contradiction to the way she leans toward me, seeking the comfort she finds in my dominance.
“I know you do,” I reply. “But that will change.” I lean forward so my lips are an inch from hers. I grip her hair in my fist. “Tell me you don’t want me. Go ahead, tell me you don’t want me to kiss you.”
Before she can answer, my phone vibrates—a call from Matteo.
I step back from her, pressing the phone to my ear. “This better be important.”
“Luca’s made his play,” Matteo’s voice is tight, laced with tension. “Contacted the cartel, convinced them you’re the reason he can’t repay their debt. Word is they’re planning to strike fast.”
“Me or him?”
“Don’t know yet. You better on your guard. He wants to speak to you.”
“He knows my number. You spoken to Charles yet?”
“The executor?”
“You know another Charles?”
