Clara walks over to her bedroom door and locks it.

Why would she get ready only to lock herself in—

Oh fuck.

She’s sneaking out through the window.

Fuck.

I hurry to the edge of the balcony, wondering where she will climb down. The trellis wasn’t the easiest thing to climb up. I swing my legs over and hurry down, then press my body up against the wall in the darkness, out of view.

Not even a minute later I hear her breathing from up above me. She is muttering to herself.

One high heel is flung over the balcony. Then another. They land with a soft thud on the grass.

I hear her take her first step onto the trellis, and I hold my breath because she’s being ridiculous. What if she falls and hurts herself?

I glance up, right up her dress.

My cock throbs.

She climbs down slowly, taking each step carefully.

When she gets to the ground she glances left and right around the house, but not behind her. Not to where I am standing.

She pulls her black leather jacket tight over her shoulders before she bends down at picks up her shoes.

Then she starts jogging across the grass to the wall. She is going to climb out the same way I came in.

I give her a head start and then follow.

She has no idea what kind of monster is stalking her right now. I am the most effective hunter. Silent, stealthy and deadly.

Tonight, I am not out to kill, but how can I miss this perfect opportunity.

She is right here within my grasp.

I jump over the wall, crouching low as I land. She pauses and looks behind her.

I stay low.

When she turns away again, I run straight towards her. She spins to see what is happening, but it’s already too late.

I clap my hand over her mouth, and no matter how hard she tries, I have her so tightly in my grip that she has no chance of escaping.

Her muffled cries against my hand turn me on even more as I drag her towards my car. She kicks me a few times, losing her shoes in the process. I just lift her a little higher off the ground and keep walking as though I felt nothing.

At the car, I open the back and toss her into the trunk, slamming it shut before she has a chance to see who has taken her. I can hear muffled screams coming from inside. I need to leave, right now, before anyone hears.

I’ll let her simmer in the back there for a while. Let her feel fear. By the time we get to my place she might have calmed down and might be more reasonable.

Her uncle wants to call me the most unstable of all the Dubrovs? Let me give him a reason to feel that way.

She has rejected me too many times. Turned me down, taunted me with her beauty. But I know she wants me. She won’t be able to deny it for much longer.

I climb into the car and start the engine, pressing the accelerator down as soon as the car growls to life. The Mustang is loud, but luckily, I am far enough away from Giorgio’s property that he's not likely to pay attention to it.

I can’t go home.