Taming the Beast: 14. Kneel!

The room narrowed to the red blink of the detonator.

Elodie’s heart hammered as she saw Ciaran lower his gun. Every muscle in his body screamed resistance, but he dropped the weapon anyway, the heavy thud echoing like betrayal.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “Don’t—”

“Quiet,” he rasped, never taking his eyes off Rourke. Then, slowly, deliberately, Ciaran went to his knees.

Rourke’s grin spread wide, triumphant. “There it is. The beast, finally collared.” He stepped closer, savoring every second, the detonator poised like a crown in his hand. “I made you kneel once before the flames. I’ll make you kneel again, and this time in front of her.”

Elodie’s breath stuck. The image—the history—cut through her chest like glass. She wanted to scream at Ciaran to fight, to stand, to be anything but broken. But then she saw it—his eyes. Cold steel, razor-sharp. Not defeated. Calculating.

Ciaran’s hands rested on his thighs, fingers curled. He looked li