Page 59 of In Shadows We Dance

Stepping out of the bathroom, my mind shifts to my plans for the day. There’s still a lot to put into place, and today isn’t just about waiting. I need to set things in motion, ensure her world keeps spinning exactly the way I want it to.

I reach for my phone, and call Monty. He picks up after the second ring.

“I need you and Nico to make her feel me today.”

There’s a pause, then a low laugh. “Subtle or obvious?”

“Subtle. Enough to keep her thinking about me, but not so much that she bolts.”

“Got it.”

I end the call, tossing the phone onto the bed. They’ll do their part, ensuring she feels my presence even when I’m not there. A whisper in the back of her mind, a constant reminder that she can’t escape me.

The rest of the day is spent setting up the equipment, testing connections, adjusting angles. By the time I’m done, the roomfeels transformed. A command center designed to capture every detail of her existence.

I stand in the center, surveying my work. The cameras are linked, accessible from anywhere. My phone, my laptop. Every device is a window into her world. The idea of how much power I’m going to have over her life makes me almost as hard as the thought of fucking her does.

She has no idea of how closely I’m going to be watching. How every move she makes, every expression she wears, will be mine to study, to dissect, to own.

But control isn’t enough. Watching isn’t enough. I want to touch her, to strip away every layer of resistance until she’s nothing but what I’ve shaped her into. I want her to feel me in every breath she takes, to know that her body, her thoughts, her very existence belongs to me.

I’ll make her surrender, make her give in to the darkness that’s growing between us. I'll teach her to yield completely, to accept that her only purpose is to be mine. When I finally take her, it won’t be just about possession—it will be about making her realize that her resistance was always futile, that she was meant for this, for me.

I stand up, moving away from the window. The morning sun casts a golden glow over the room. There’s still so much to do, so many pieces to put in place. But I’m ready for it.

Patience.

The word steadies me, though the hunger remains. I’ll wait for the right moment. And when it comes, I’ll take everything she has to give … and more.

CHAPTER 31

Edge of Control

ILEANA

The first thingI notice is the silence. Not comforting, like a blanket wrapped around me, but a heavy, suffocating stillness that presses down as soon as I step through the school gates. It’s the kind of silence that feels alive—like there’s something lurking just beyond my line of sight.

I keep my head down, trying to avoid any attention, but as I look up, Monty steps away from the wall, his stride slow and intentional as he closes the distance between us. Nico is standing a few feet away, watching, his presence a shape at the edge of my vision.

"Ileana," he says, voice smooth, almost friendly.

My stomach flips, nervous butterflies taking off. I look around, expecting to find Wren nearby, but there’s no sign of him.

Monty’s smile widens, amused. He falls into step beside me.

"Where are you headed?" he asks, tone almost casual.

"Class," I manage, my voice tight.

He hums, as if considering what the word means. "Right. Class." He smirks.

I force my steps to stay steady. "What do you want from me?"

"What doIwant? Nothing." His fingers skim my arm—light, taunting—and I swallow, fighting the urge to pull away. "WhatWrenwants though … well … that’s a different story."

My heart picks up speed, each beat drumming louder than the last. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

“I guess you can askhimwhen you see him.”

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