Page 66 of Owned

“Doesn’t own me.” Her hazel eyes locked onto mine.

“No,” I agreed, “but he might if we’re not careful.”

Her laugh was soft. “Then we’d better be careful.”

I crushed my lips to hers again, and the world tilted as everything else slipped away—the danger, the secrets, even Lucian’s looming shadow seemed to fade in the heat of that moment. I was lost in her—the taste of her, the heat of her mouth, the way she tangled her fingers in my hair as if daring me to let go first. For one stolen moment, all thoughts of escape plans and Lucian’s machinations faded away until it was only Avril and me and the ragged beating of our hearts.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, I saw a flicker in her eyes that hadn’t been there before—something daring and dangerous.

“There’s a guard at the edge of the garden,” she breathed as she glanced toward the shadows beyond us. “Maybe two…”

I followed her gaze but saw nothing except the shifting darkness. “Do they worry you?”

“Not as much as they worry you.” She caught my hand and met my gaze boldly.

“You’re right,” I said, my voice thick with desire. “I don’t like being watched.” I pulled her closer and marked the soft intake of her breath as I whispered against her ear. “Not by anyone but you.”

Her laugh was breathy and beautiful, and it ignited something ravenous within me.

The garden surrounded us, its once lush beauty now marred by creeping shadows, but with her close, the darkness faded, becoming a distant threat, overshadowed by the warmth of our shared breath. I could feel the way her body molded to mine, the gentle tension in her frame surrendering to my touch.

But reality came rushing back, cold as a winter’s gust. As I pulled away, I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

“I told you I could get you out of here,” I said. “And I meant it.”

Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious—”

“Beyond the main gate, there’s a narrow path through the forest,” I said, my voice a low murmur in the heavy air. “If you want this, I’ll hide a motorcycle in the trees for you.” My fingers trailed lightly along her arm, tracing the line of possibility along her soft skin and the slight bumps of the healing scars from where she’d sacrificed her blood to the grimoire.

Avril blinked slowly, absorbing my words, and I could sense the shift in her expression—was this what she wanted?

“I don’t know how to ride,” she admitted.

The small admission was like a chasm that threatened to swallow us both. Her vulnerability, unexpected after so much strength, stirred something deep within me—I wanted to protect her. Not just from what Lucian was planning, but from the whole world.

“You can learn,” I said, injecting as much confidence into my tone as I could muster. I gripped her wrist gently, anchoring her to me. “I’ll help you.”

A flicker of interest crossed her face, but doubt still weighed heavy in her gaze. She was frightened—but was it the bike or the prospect of escape that made her pause?

She wanted to trust me—but something was holding her back.

“What did my brothers promise you?”

She hesitated, but there was a shadow behind her eyes. “They didn’t promise me anything.”

Liar.

I traced my thumb along her wrist and counted the pulse of her heartbeat against my skin.Erratic.“You think they’ll do a better job getting you out of here?”

Her silence was heavy. And there it was again—that flicker of shadow behind her eyes.

I wondered what the grimoire was telling her.

“I’m not scared anymore,” she said, as if daring me to challenge her.

Breathe.

She doesn’t mean it.

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