Page 151 of Their Reckless Thief
I wouldn’t let The Shadow control me. I couldn’t afford to be a pawn in his game. This heist, this mission, was about taking back power, about making sure The Shadow knew exactly who he was dealing with. And I would see it through, no matter the cost.
We gathered around the table,discussing the plan. Shadows played over Vincenzo’s expression, and every so often, his gaze drifted toward me, the look in his eyes raw and unfiltered. It was only ever a flash before he quickly covered it.
Luca sat beside me, a fierce promise woven into his gaze. Dorian’s arms were folded, but he’d moved his chair closer to mine, the casual shift in his posture betraying a readiness to intervene, a tangible line of support I hadn’t realized I needed so much until now.
It was Vincenzo who broke the silence, his voice carrying a strong command that settled into my bones, soothing yet unyielding. “This mark on Celeste changes everything. She can’t be out of our sight. Not for a single moment.” He turned to Luca. “I want you with her at all times. Sleep in her room, tail her everywhere. You’re the best suited to keep her safe.”
When Luca’s fierce eyes met my gaze, my pulse quickened. It reminded me of the night he’d been there when I was at my most vulnerable. I saw the same determination now, maybe even stronger. I could rely on him.
“I won’t leave her side,” he said softly, a resolve in his voice that was both reassuring and deeply unsettling. There was no place in his declaration for hesitation or doubt.
A tremor ran through me. “It feels like I’m disappearing… like The Shadow’s already pulling me apart by taking away my freedom and my independence.” I hated how weak I sounded, but I couldn’t push the words down, couldn’t stop the fear clawing at my mind. The weight of The Shadow’s mark was something I could feel now, every line of it a constant, cold reminder that my life was no longer mine alone.
Dorian put his arms around my shoulder and drew me close. He pulled me gently onto his lap, his body heat a shield against the fear sinking into me. “Hey,” he murmured as he cradled my head, his fingers weaving gently through my hair. “You’re notalone in this. We’re all here. We’ll fight him together.” He kissed me softly.
The words—the kiss—touched the well of vulnerability I’d tried so hard to keep hidden. Tears pricked my eyes, and before I knew it, they were spilling over.
Luca and Vincenzo exchanged a glance, and in the next moment, they were both beside me, flanking me with their presence, a wall of strength I hadn’t known I needed until now.
Luca’s hand found mine, his touch warm and grounding, his thumb tracing small circles against my knuckles, each motion gentle but reassuring. “He may think he has control over you, but he doesn’t. You’re stronger than him, Celeste. In all the ways that matter. And together, we’re stronger than any shit he could send our way.”
Vincenzo brushed a tear off my cheek, the roughness of his hand contrasting with the gentleness of the gesture. “I don’t care what he thinks he can do,” he said gently, his voice steady but threaded with something softer, something vulnerable that I rarely heard. “This ends on our terms, not his. Understand?”
I nodded, my throat tight. The silent assurance in each of their expressions offered an anchor, a tether to something real. It was overwhelming how their presence eased the fear inch by inch, calming me in a way Phantomine never had. There was a strength in this unity, a sense of safety that was more substantial, more real than anything I’d clung to before.
Dorian shifted, pulling me closer, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “Breathe, Celeste. We’ve got you.”
Slowly, the panic receded, their touch chasing away the lingering fear. The three of them surrounded me, weaving a sense of safety that somehow made the mark less suffocating. The Shadow might think he had power over me, but he couldn’t touch what I had with them. He couldn’t take away the strengththey lent me or the fact that they held me together when I felt like I was falling apart.
The air between us thickened, charged with an understanding that was deeper than words. For the first time since the mark had appeared, I felt the faint stirrings of hope, a spark that The Shadow’s hold wasn’t as absolute as he wanted me to believe. Here, with them around me, with every whispered reassurance, every steadying touch, I was reminded of something more powerful than any curse or mark.
I wasn’t alone.
46
CELESTE
Night after night,I could feel The Shadow’s mark tightening its grip, burrowing deeper under my skin like a slow, crawling sickness. The dark lines had begun to creep toward my neck. It wasn’t just the markings that bothered me; it was the idea of him, lingering on my skin, a constant, suffocating reminder that I couldn’t escape.
I sat cross-legged on my bed and stared at the trashy reality show playing on the screen. Dorian had set up the TV on my dresser, so I’d have a distraction at night to help me fall asleep. I hoped the absurdity of the show would keep me distracted. It worked for a while, long enough to make me feel slightly less on edge, but then my exhaustion grew heavier, tugging at my eyelids as I struggled to keep them open. I’d been too afraid to sleep, terrified of what waited in the darkness when I closed my eyes. Panic surged through me, but I couldn’t fight it any longer. I drifted off, my defenses slipping as I sank into restless slumber.
The nightmare was vivid, sharper than reality. I was somewhere dark, the air thick and stifling, pressing in from all sides. Shadows twisted around me, and though I couldn’t see a clear figure, I felt his presence.
The Shadow, an all-consuming mass of dark mist, a suffocating void that swallowed everything it touched. He moved with a terrible, graceful silence, inching closer, until he was on me, surrounding me like a fog that blocked out all light.
An unknown force pinned me in place, and I couldn’t breathe. His shadowy form loomed over me, shifting and swirling, tendrils of darkness sinking into my body like poison. I opened my mouth to scream, but the void swallowed all sound.
“This is what you deserve.” The whisper was low and venomous, echoing through the impenetrable darkness. “You never should have come here. You never should’ve dragged yourself into The Below, into their lives.”
I fought against him, clawing at the shadows with every ounce of strength I had, but it was useless. My fists passed through him as if he were nothing but smoke, leaving me feeling weak and insignificant. Panic bloomed in me, a twisting dread that knotted around my ribs and made it harder to breathe.
“You’ll bring nothing but ruin, Celeste,” he hissed, his voice a dark promise that clawed at my mind. “You’re the thread that will unravel them, and I’ll make sure they recognize you for what you are. Nothing but a mistake.”
The words slashed through me, brutal and searing. They struck every insecurity I’d buried, every doubt I’d tried to ignore. When The Shadow leaned closer, his face came into focus—a nightmarish blur of anger and malice. He wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed. My lungs burned as I fought to breathe, my vision blurring at the edges.
I jolted awake, gasping for breath, clutching at my throat as if his touch had left a physical bruise. Cold sweat covered my skin as I struggled to shake the lingering terror.
“Luca…” I croaked. Panic clawed at me. I could still feel The Shadow’s grip on my skin, raw and vivid. “Luca!”
