Page 20 of Their Reckless Thief
Dorian leaned against the cell door, relaxed but watchful, as if he was contemplating something. “I’ll be back with the blankets. And clothes. Promise.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hide the fact that I was shivering. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He tilted his head, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
His offer to bring me clothes and blankets caught me off guard. I didn’t know what to say. Was this his way of showing sympathy? Trying to comfort me? It felt strange coming from the charming, flirty wolf shifter who probably never took anything seriously. But there was something else in his eyes.
He straightened and turned toward the door, leaving me alone in the cell. The heavy clank of the door locking echoed through the empty corridor, and I was left with nothing but the cold and my racing thoughts.
I sat down on the hard stone bench, curling my legs up to my chest as the weight of the silence settled around me. My thoughts drifted back to Vivian, back to the stupid choices I’d made that had landed me here. I could only imagine what she was doing to try to reach me. Hell, if I knew her, she was probably hacking into something right now to find a way to get me out of this.
For now, I was stuck. Trapped in a freezing cell with nothing but the echo of my heartbeat and the heavy sense of dread that weighed down on me like a stone.
What the hell would Roberto think? I had no way to contact him. I shut my eyes tightly, imagining Roberto hunting me down in The Below and realizing I’d gone rogue. Lied to him.
“Shit,” I whispered into the darkness, my breath visible in the cold air.
I paced the small confines of the cell, my mind racing as I scanned every corner, every crevice for something—anything—that could help me get out of here. My fingers grazed the cold metal of the door, testing its strength, its weaknesses. There had to be a way out. There was always a way out.
Except... there wasn’t.
Luca’s shadows had stripped me clean. Every gadget, every blade—gone. The feel of his magic still lingered on my skin, a cold reminder of how thoroughly they’d disarmed me. And now here I was, pacing like a caged animal, a knot of frustration and panic twisting tighter in my chest.
Damn it.Damn it.
I pressed my palms against my thighs, trying to push the rising panic down, but it was no use. The need clawed at me, that familiar itch just beneath the surface. My breath quickened. I needed a hit of Phantomine. Just one to take the edge off, to clear my mind so I could think straight. But there was no Phantomine here. No way to dull the sharp edges of reality closing in on me.
Gods, I could really use a hit of Phantomine right now.
I cursed under my breath, pushing the thought away. No. I had to focus. I had to find a way out before Vincenzo’s patience ran thin. The way he’d looked at me when he had his blade against my neck had unnerved me. The fucker was unhinged, and I doubted he would think twice about draining the blood from my body. Hell, he’d probably laugh as he did it and drop my corpse into his big-ass fireplace once he got his fill.
A noise at the door made me freeze. The door creaked open, and there stood Dorian, arms full of blankets and pillows, a hoodie draped over his shoulder. He glanced at me, his amber eyes bright even in the dim light of the cell.
“Brought you some things,” he said casually, stepping inside. I watched as he set everything down, his movements calm and measured, like this was just another day for him. Like I wasn’t pacing around like a lunatic trying to figure out how to escape.
I eyed the hoodie, the soft fabric calling to me despite my best efforts to remain stoic. I wasn’t about to accept comfort from them. But then the cold air of the basement hit me again, and I caved. I shrugged off my leather jacket and pulled the hoodie on, regretting it immediately.
It smelled like him.
LikeDorian fucking Voss.Wild and warm, like cedar and fresh rain.
My fingers tightened on the sleeves, and a shiver worked its way through me, but it wasn’t from the cold. The smell, the warmth of the fabric, the vision of him slipping his fingers inside of me…it was all too much, too distracting.I hated that I noticed.
“Thanks,” I muttered, pulling the hood up over my head, trying to drown out the effect of him. I wasn’t going to go all soft just because the damn thing smelled like heaven wrapped around my shoulders.
Dorian dropped into the chair outside the cell door, settling in like he had all the time in the world. He leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head, and glanced at me, one brow raised.
“You gonna sit there all night?” I asked, trying to keep the irritation from bleeding into my voice.
He flashed me a lazy grin. “Boss’s orders. Apparently, he doesn’t trust that you can’t get out.”
“My fucking luck,” I muttered, pacing again. Of course, Vincenzo wouldn’t trust me to stay put. Hell, I wouldn’t trust me either. If I had an ounce of Phantomine left in my system, I might’ve figured out a way to jimmy the lock by now.
Dorian chuckled, watching me with that infuriatingly easygoing expression. “You’re not gonna get out, you know. Luca made sure of that.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t plan on sitting in here like some helpless damsel,” I snapped. I stood and paced. There had to be a weak spot. Maybe a screw loose in the hinges. Maybe the bars weren’t as strong as they looked. Maybe I could—fuck, I couldn’t focus with Dorian watching me like that.
I shot him a glare. “Enjoying the show?”
