Chapter 42

The Prey

I could feel his gaze, heavy and unyielding, pinning me in place.

I clenched the vase tighter, my knuckles turning white as I fought the urge to bolt.

But running wasn’t an option. Not with him sitting there.

And now, there was no escape.

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me. There was no avoiding it now. Slowly, with every ounce of courage I could muster, I turned around.

There he was.

He looked every bit the demon I knew him to be—cruel and merciless, with a hint of satisfaction curling at the corners of his lips. The smirk that played there was both infuriating and terrifying, as if he took pleasure in my fear, in the way I’d been caught in his web with no way out.

His strong hands rested on the arms of the chair. He didn’t need to say a word; his presence alone was enough to make me feel small, powerless, and utterly at his mercy.

“Going somewhere?” His mused.

I gulpe