A smile pulled at my lips as Marco stalked back to my place on the bed. He leaned down, pinning me against the sheets as he climbed over me. His strong body now flush with mine. His skin branding and hot against my own.

I didn’t resist. No part of me was sane enough in that moment to push him away. His familiar spicy smell filled my senses, making my insides clench in anticipation.

“You play a very dangerous game.” Marco’s hard voice had turned ragged.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” I smiled mischievously, my hips tilting toward him of their own accord. The contact made his nostrils flare, and his eyes smoldered above me.

“I willhaveyou, Ada.” His lips pressed against my neck, and I desperately stifled the moan in my throat. “And when I do…I’ll fuck that vicious mouth of yours too.” His tongue flicked against my skin.

“Doubt it,” I breathed, trying to maintain some air of dignity, even if my self-control was now fully out the window and floating along the surface of Lake Michigan.

He rolled his hips into me, pushing his hard length against my sensitive spot, eliciting a loud moan from my throat.

“It’s just a matter of time…and I’m in no rush. But let’s get something clear: you aremine. Only mine. That has been your fate from the moment I took you.”

To anyone else, his words may have been stimulating, but desire froze in my veins and ripped me out of my hazy state.

He took you, remember?

He was the reason I had no family. No home.

To add fuel to that fire, images of his mouth sucking on Lexi’s neck not five minutes ago flashed across my eyes and suddenly his touch was shallow. Meaningless.

Having me wouldn’t mean anything to him.

But, itwouldmean something to me. My past and the memories I tried so desperately to suppress meant it would always mean somethingmoreto me.

“Get the fuck off.” I freed my hands and tried pushing him away.

His black eyes dipped out of my view as he placed another, duplicitous kiss against my neck. I could feel how much he wanted me, and it took all my will power to resist his touch.

I brought my fists to his chest and pounded against him, my body tensing and anxiety making my hands shake. He stilled, his eyes slicing to mine and searching my face. Whatever he saw there made him retreat instantly.

He kneeled on the bed, gazing down at me a moment longer. Conflict etched across his features. “This isn’t over.”

He then shoved himself the rest of the way off the bed and out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

CHAPTER

TWELVE

ADALYN

At breakfast that morning, I learned from Jesse that Lexi didn’t stay the night and although I felt somewhat satisfied by that information, I didn’t exactly know why.

In the days that followed, Marco continued to play the part of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but whereas before I was annoyed by not knowing which character he’d play for the day, I now found myself intrigued by it.

Using my newly acquired car, I spent a few days visiting various up-scale furniture shops, galleries, and textile stores to gather inspiration for my room. I had done little more than purchase a lamp by the end of the week, yet I still felt a sense of progress. It may have only been a lamp, but to me it represented acceptance of my life in Chicago.

My other car was scheduled to arrive over the weekend, and I could hardly contain my excitement. As the week wore on, not only did I find myself accepting my new life, but I was also starting toenjoyit.

Despite having been brought to the pale, stone walls of Marco’s mansion as a captive, it was starting to feel…more like home.

“I have a job offer for you.”

Marco and I sat in the formal dining room on Friday evening just as we had the rest of the week. At first, I’d found our new routine odd and uneasy but as time wore on, I was starting to look forward to our evening conversations.

“I thought you didn’t like the idea of me working,” I answered, recalling what he’d said the previous day when I had first brought it up.