Page 112 of In Shadows We Dance

“Stop pretending you don’t feel it.” My hand trails up her arm, the warmth of her skin seeping into mine. “The pull between us. The way you need me, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

Her lips part, but the words don’t come.

“You came to me tonight, Ileana. Remember that. Youchosethis.”

Her breathing is shallow, her body still trembling, but the fire in her eyes is dimming. She’s moving closer to the edge of sleep, her mind too tired to fight me anymore.

I link my fingers with hers, my thumb stroking over the pulse in her wrist. “You don’t have to do anything right now. Just rest.We’ll figure the rest out later.”

Her eyes flutter closed, and for a moment, I think she’s already drifted off. But then, so quietly I almost miss it, her voice rises again.

“I don’t know how to be anyone else.”

My lips press against her temple. “You don’t have to. I’ll show you who you really are.”

The room falls silent again, her breathing slowing, her body finally relaxing against the bed.

I stay beside her, my hand never leaving hers. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she’s already mine.

And I’ll make sure she never forgets it.

CHAPTER 57

No Turning Back

ILEANA

The warmth isthe first thing I notice, pulling me from the edges of sleep. It wraps around me, solid and steady, a weight I can’t ignore. My fingers shift against smooth skin, my body pressed against his like it belongs there.

Wren.

The memory hits me before I open my eyes. His hands gripping my hips, his body claiming mine, the words he whispered as he unraveled everything I thought I knew about myself. Heat floods my face, and between my legs aches.

I force myself to open my eyes. Moonlight spills across the room, and I’m acutely aware of every point of contact between us. My leg draped over his. My cheek resting on his chest. His arm resting on my back, fingers splayed across my ass, holding me close, pressing me intimately against his side.

I shift slightly, stretching, and his grip tightens immediately.

“Don’t move.” His voice is low and rough.

I lift my head, and there he is, his gaze locked on mine in the dim light. His eyes track every flicker of emotion crossing my face. His arm tightens, pulling me closer, and tension builds between us.

“You didn’t leave.”

His lips curl into something that isn’t quite a smile. “You thought I would?”

I don’t answer, turning my face away, but his fingers find my jaw, tipping my head back toward him in his default gesture of demand.

“Look at me.” He waits until I meet his eyes. “You’re sore.” It’s not aquestion.

I swallow, embarrassment making it hard to speak. “I’m fine.”

He shifts beneath me, his hand skimming lower, stroking over the curve of my hip. “You’re lying. I can feel it. Every time you move, you flinch.”

I try to push away, but he doesn’t let me go. His grip tightens, and his other hand slides down my back, leaving a trail of heat in its wake.

“Wren—”

“Let me take care of you.” His tone softens, but the steel beneath it remains. “You’ll feel better with my mouth on you.”

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