Page 103 of In Shadows We Dance

I want her to be mine in every sense of the word.

I want to break her, and build her back up.

I want to be the only one she turns to, the only one she needs.

CHAPTER 53

Devil's Bargain

ILEANA

Wren’s voicefills the darkness of the woods, his words breaking the silence, and I fight not to shiver at the hunger in that single word.

“You come into my woods, wearing my dress, and demanding answers.”

He circles me slowly, like a predator sizing up prey that’s crossed his path. I stand my ground, refusing to back away. His fingers graze my bare shoulder, and electricity shoots through me.

“That’s either very brave or very stupid.”

The dress feels too thin, the tears exposing more than I’d like. His eyes track every movement as he steps back into my view, his gaze dragging over me, searing my skin. I lift my chin, meeting his gaze head-on, refusing to let him see how he’s affecting me, how he’s pulling me into his orbit.

“You said you had proof.” My voice is steady … barely. “About my father. About?—”

“About why he’s so desperate to keep you hidden?” His breath on my skin sends shivers down my spine. “Do you want to know what he’s afraid of?”

Each word draws him closer, until his chest is touching my back, until the warmth of him wraps around me like a cage. His hands settle on my waist, his fingers splayed wide. The touch is possessive, and it burns through the thin fabric.

“Oh, pretty Ballerina. You have no idea what you’ve walked into.”

“First, you need to understand exactly what you’re asking for. What kind of devil’s bargain you’re making by coming here.”

He turns me, guiding me backward, one hand firm againstthe small of my back, the other still gripping my waist. Each step deeper into the woods feels like a choice I can’t undo, like a pact I’m signing with every inch of ground I give him.

“One spilled drink.” His voice is low, intimate, close enough that I can feel the heat of his words against my neck. “That’s all it took. I always noticed you. The way you kept to the shadows, how you followed the rules, how careful you were never to stand out. But that drink …” His fingers stroke up my spine, igniting a trail of heat that makes my breath hitch. “It shattered all of that. Made me see you differently. Made me see the cracks in the mask you wear.”

My heart pounds in my chest, his words pulling at something buried deep inside me. His hand moves higher, pausing between my shoulder blades, and I arch into his touch.

“While you were searching for me ...” His fingers curl under my chin, tilting my head up so he can meet my eyes. His smile is razor-sharp,predatory. “I was digging through your past. Peeling back every lie your parents wrapped around you.”

My heart is pounding in my chest, the fear mixing with a darker emotion, something that draws me closer to him.

“What did you find?” The question falls from my lips before I can stop it, the need for answers outweighing the warning bells screaming in my mind.

“Do you really want to know?” His voice is silk, wrapping around me, seductive and tempting.

“Yes.”

“That’s what I thought.”

He spins me, pressing me against the rough bark of a tree. The contrast of the cool air against my flushed skin sends a shiver through me as his thigh shoves between my legs, pushing up just enough to make my pulse quicken.

“You want answers.” His lips hover over mine. “So, I’m going to give you exactly what you asked for.”

His fingers find the hem of the dress, tugging it higher. “Your father isn’t who you think he is. The life he built for you, for your family, it’s all based on lies. On the ruins of an empire he destroyed.”

The words twist in my mind, each one dragging me deeper into a truth I’m no longer sure I want to hear.

“You’re lying.”

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