Page 68 of His UnBearable Touch

Lance’s personality had always been quixotic at best. When they were together, she had thought it endearing. Someone who felt everything so potently.

That was until she experienced the extremes of him. There had been nights… and even days… for months after the attack, years even, when she’d wake screaming out of a memory that left her shaking. Flashes of light. Searing pain. Hearing the doctors tell her over and over that she’d never see again.

And then, there were the dreams that took her back in time. The dreams that walked her through the memory of her last day. The excitement about her life changing opportunity and then walking out the door, only to wake up and knew that even though her eyes were open, it was pitch-black around her.

She’d become lazy in the last few years. She didn’t have to live vigilantly waiting for the very air around her to change.

“I should apologize to you.”

That caught her by surprise. Even at the sentencing hearing, when he’d been given a chance to apologize and take time off of his sentence, Lance had remained mum. “For what?”

His sigh was tight, rough in his throat. “The zoo. I heard them talking through the speakers. I went to hear you play. My mother told me I was being ridiculous, but I never listen to her when she gets like that. I went to hear you play and saw you with him.”

“Valerio.”

“I don’t want to know his name.” He mumbled under his breath until he grumbled out a few more words. “I wanted him out of the way. Everything I did was trying to remind you that you belonged to me.”

She wanted to ask him what else he’d done, but she had an idea. The police, the questions, the sudden wardrobe gifted to her from Natale. Her new friend was generous but again, she knew that Valerio had withheld even more information from her. Just like she’d done to him. And now, she was stuck here. Great job, Allegra.

“You can sit, you know.” He scoffed at her as his mind shifted gears. “It’s not the Ritz, but then again, you always seemed to be a motel kind of girl. The couch isn’t half bad.”

She shook her head and felt heat across her cheeks. “I don’t know where the couch is.”

“It’s right… oh, yeah.” He laughed, a rough bark of sound. “Where’s that cane my parents paid for?”

“I didn’t take it with me when the alarm sounded.” She explained the situation to him instead of telling him where to step off. Biding her time. “Linda didn’t tell me where we were going.”

* * *

Valerio tasted cologne on his tongue and scratched his teeth over the surface of it, trying to remove the taste. His fangs caught at the tender skin and scored it, welling up blood. It only fueled his rage.

He was closer. He felt Allegra’s presence like a caress against his face. He held her scent on an indrawn breath and wanted her in his arms.

His men were searching through the City’s records, but thanks to their lack of organization and a decent filing system, they weren’t likely to be much help. If they ever found it, it was likely not to be quickly enough to help, but that didn’t stop him.

Didn’t stop them.

Valerio continued to pace down the hallways, following her scent and this feeling he held inside of his chest, in his heart.

He’d called Allegra ‘Stellina’… his star.

And she was.

With the dark surrounding him, he felt her light up ahead. Heard her heartbeat in his ears. Felt her calling to him.

And he moved on.

So close.

* * *

So close.

She felt like she was losing her mind.

Lance had given up trying to get her to sit. He’d given up shouting.

Now he was trying something new.

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