Page 28 of Their Reckless Thief
Vincenzo stepped forward out of the shadows. His intense, predatory gaze never wavered from mine. I was trapped, cornered like a rabbit in front of a wolf.
“You’re creative, I’ll give you that,” he said, his lips curling into a dark smirk. “But you’re too predictable. You can’t leave unless I allow it.”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as his words hit me. I wanted to scream, to fight, to claw my way out of this mansion, out of this nightmare. But Vincenzo was right. I wasn’t going anywhere.
Not unless he let me.
His presence was suffocating and overwhelming, taking up all the space in the hallway. Every instinct in me screamed to run, but I was frozen in place.
He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel his breath against my skin. His eyes raked over me, taking in the desperation, the fear, and the frustration I knew was written all over my face. He reveled in it. I could see it in the way his smirk deepened, in the cruel glint in his eyes.
“Try this again,” Vincenzo whispered, his voice dripping with a lethal promise, “and you’ll wish I’d left you in that cell.”
I could barely breathe, let alone respond. His gaze held mine, unrelenting.
Before I could say anything, footsteps echoed from behind us. Dorian appeared at the far end of the corridor, wiping his hands clean on a dish towel.
“Found her, did you?” he called out.
Vincenzo didn’t take his eyes off me, his smirk fading into a hard, unyielding expression. “Keep your pet on a leash, Dorian. Or she’s going back to the cell.”
Dorian’s easygoing demeanor slipped for a second. He gave a short nod, meeting Vincenzo’s gaze as he stepped closer. “Noted.”
Vincenzo shot me one last icy look before turning on his heel and walking away.
I stood there, my pulse still hammering in my ears, my body shaking from the confrontation. Dorian moved closer, his gaze softening as he took my arm.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you back before you piss him off even more.”
I let him lead me back down the hallway, my mind whirling with confusion, fear, and anger. Vincenzo’s words echoed in my head.
You can’t leave unless I allow it.
I had to get out.
Dorian threw his arm around my shoulders with casual ease, like we were old friends. “You know, Celeste, based on the way you ran from me in the kitchen, I’m starting to doubt your feelings for me.” His voice was light, teasing, and that grin was so effortlessly charming it made my stomach flip in the most irritating way.
Butterflies.
Fucking butterflies.
I hated myself for it.
Why did they have to be so damn hot? If they were ugly, this would all be so much easier. But no, they had to be built like gods, all muscle and sharp jawlines, and they had to walk around acting like this whole thing was just a game.
I gave Dorian a sideways glance, doing my best to keep my voice neutral. “Yeah, I’m heartbroken over you doubting my affections for you, Dorian. It’s really keeping me up at night.”
He chuckled, the sound low and rich, which only made the butterflies worse. I hated that he could get under my skin so easily. It wasn’t fair.
“I’m hitting the gym,” he said, as if my heart hadn’t just leaped into my throat. “After that, I have a meeting with Vincenzo, then I’m heading out to one of my bars. Gotta keep up appearances, you know? Boss man stuff. You wanna tagalong to all of that, or would you prefer being locked in a room somewhere?”
I could tell by the glint in his eye that he wasn’t actually giving me a choice. The alternative was a locked room, and I wasn’t about to willingly walk into another cell.
“Guess I’ll tag along,” I muttered. If I played my cards right, I might learn something. Maybe even find another opportunity to escape or at least a weak spot in their setup.
Dorian grinned, clearly pleased with my decision. “Good choice, love. Hope you’re ready for a show. A gun show, that is.”
I rolled my eyes at him. I might have made a mistake agreeing to follow him around all day. Still, better to be with him and out in the open than locked away, right?
