Page 32 of In Shadows We Dance

The bass-heavy beat of the car’s speakers thrums through the silence, Monty’s hand adjusting the volume as he catches my eye in the rearview mirror.

"Music’s good for the mood," he quips, his smirk faint.

I nod, letting the vibrations wrap around us, syncing with the tension in the car. She shifts, trying to put space between us, but I don’t allow it, following her across the seat.

"You always dance to the same songs. What do you think you’d look like moving to something darker?"

“What I dance to is none of your business.”

“Oh, but it is. Tonight, every move you make belongs to me.”

She shifts again, trying to edge away, but I slide my arm behind her back, and rest my hand over her hip, holding her in place. My thumb finds the skin just above the waistband of her pants, and she jerks away at the contact.

“Nervous?”

“What do you think?”

“I think …” I lean closer. “I think you’re trying so hard to pretend you’re not concerned, not scared.” I drag a finger down her throat, and tap the pulse beating at the base. “But this says otherwise.”

“You think knowing that gives you power?” Her voice is tight, fear threading through, no matter how hard she tries to contain it.

“Power doesn’t come from knowing, Ballerina. It comes from acting.”

She doesn't answer, but her pulse races in her throat, a frantic beat I can almost hear. I press my lips to her neck, just below her jaw. Her skin is warm and soft. I let my teeth graze her skin, notbiting, just a warning of what I could do. What Iwilldo.

The road narrows, trees closing in, their branches creating a dark tunnel ahead of us. She stares out of the windshield, body rigid as we approach my family’s estate.

“Almost there.” My fingers thread lightly through her hair, stroking the nape of her neck. “Feel that? The anticipation?”

“I just want to go home.”

“Home? But this is so much more interesting, don’t you think?”

Her lips part, but she doesn’t speak. She doesn’t have to.

The car slows as Monty pulls into the driveway.

"Welcome to my world." My hand skims her side, fingers grazing her ribs. "You’ll find it’s nothing like the one you’re used to."

Monty parks near the front steps, the headlights casting harsh beams across the stone facade. The engine cuts out, leaving us in silence so thick it suffocates.

"Out you go," I say, releasing her wrist with a final squeeze.

I open the door, watching her, waiting to see if she’ll run. She hesitates, her hand on the handle. When she finally steps out, it’s with that same grace, but this time it’s hollow—an echo of the control she’s desperately clinging to.

I brush her hair back from her face, my fingers lingering against her neck. The goosebumps rising beneath my touch send a thrill through me.

"Follow me."

She walks ahead of me, her back straight, her movements stiff with resistance. I smile, watching the defiance flare beneath her fear. She doesn’t know where we are. She has no idea what I’m planning. But she’s doing as she’s told because she has no choice.

She’s mine tonight, whether she likes it or not.

CHAPTER 15

Dancing For The Devil

ILEANA

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