Chapter 105

The Prey

After we finished the meal in a silence thick enough to cut with a knife, he slid a dessert plate in front of me—a rich, decadent slice of chocolate pie. The aroma was sweet, almost intoxicating, a stark contrast to the tension that hung between us. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady, waiting, like he knew I wouldn’t refuse.

“Eat,” he commanded. But there was a flicker in his eyes, something darker, more intimate.

As much as I tried to ignore it, I was fatally attracted to that darkness in some sense.

I picked up the fork, and took a small bite, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingered on my mouth. The chocolate melted on my tongue, warm and rich, and I fought the urge to close my eyes, knowing he’d take it as some kind of conquest.

“Good?” His voice was low, his fingers tracing the edge of his own plate, his thumb rubbing over the rim slowly, like he was imagining it was something else entirely. The subtle gesture