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And I don't understand why because all I've ever done is try to protect him.
Dorian's no idiot. He knows how I operate. He could tell Elena meant something to me, and so, just as I suspected he would, he went after her ruthlessly.
Honestly, it's my own damn fault. I never should have shown my hand back in the club and let him see how much she meant to me.
But on top of that, I shouldn't have underestimated him. I hadn't expected him to strike so soon. I thought I had more time to prepare, and I certainly never foresaw him breaching the security of my building.
I turned my back for one motherfucking second and I turned around to find Elena gone from her desk. I instantly recognized that something was wrong.
I don't know how I knew to check her phone, but I did. I had her phone tapped long ago so that I can see all incoming and outgoing calls and texts, and when I saw a text from James from her, I knew instantly what had happened.
My driver would never text her. Not without my permission, and I would never give it. If I ever have something to say to Elena, I will tell her firsthand myself. James knows that.
That text had all the machinations of my piece of shit brother on it, and that's another thing that really burns my ass. He knew he would have to lure her in under false pretenses.
I quickly materialized in the elevator just in time. I'm thankful that I showed up when I did because if I had been one second later, she'd have been gone.His. I clench my fist at just the thought of it.
The only thing that gets me halfway under control is when I turn my gaze back down toward my sleeping angel. Her puffy pink lips are parted, and I can't resist. I reach out a finger and run it along her petal soft cheek before tracing those perfect lips.
She's so precious. So fragile. So breakable.
That fact could not have been made any clearer to me than it was earlier this night when I found her in my brother's clutches.
No, I shouldn't have used my powers on her. This is the third time I've compelled her to go into a sleep—once the night I first met her, when I was transporting her here after rescuing her from Dorian, and just now.
Elena might seem like such a docile little kitten, but something tells me she's got claws and that those claws would come out if she knew I used my powers on her.
I didn't use them on her back in the elevator, though. She fainted in my arms of her own accord. But that first night when I saw her in the alleyway, I had to use them to get her safely home and to trick her into believing I was a dream. I couldn't have her remembering me and questioning what I was.
And I know that I'll have to tell her the truth about what I am now. She'll be full of questions, but I'm not ready to answer them yet.
That's why I put her back into a sleep for now. I have to do some damage control first.
I pull my phone up to my ear.
James answers on the first ring, as reliable as ever.
"I want every man we've got on it. Find that fucker and bring him to me—alive," I tell James.
I hear James chuckle on the other end of the line, and a wry grin twists my own lips. None of us are alive, per se, but he gets my meaning.
"Yes, sire."
I end the call and sit back down on the bed beside Elena, stroking my hands through that silky soft hair, something I've wanted to do since the day I first saw her. Its texture doesn't disappoint. In fact, it's more glorious than I could have ever imagined.
"This might not be how I planned on introducing myself to you, my sweet little angel," I murmur to her sleeping form, "But I've got you now, and I will take care of you. You'll never want for anything ever again."
And it's true. I don't know when I'd planned on introducing myself to Elena—if ever.
Dorian has forced my hand, though, and now everything's going to have to come out in the open.
As of tonight, Elena is finallymine.
Seventeen
Elena
I wake up slowly again,but unlike last time, everything comes crashing back on me right away. I sit up more slowly this time, remembering the way my head spun last time when I sat up too quickly.
