The heavy, measured footsteps echoed against the polished marble floor of the hallway, each one sounding like a countdown to my execution.

"Julian!" I hissed, scrambling backward on the leather sofa. I blindly grabbed for the torn remnants of my silk dress, clutching the fabric against my bare che

Silas released my waist just enough to shove me forward. I stumbled, my bare feet sinking into the plush, ivory rug of the penthouse living room, catching my balance just before my knees hit the floor. The heavy metal collar around my neck pulsed with a faint, steady rhythm, a physical anchor chaini

The morning sun filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse felt like an insult. It was too bright, too normal for the shattered reality I had woken up in.

I lay tangled in the silk sheets of the massive king-sized bed, every muscle in my body aching with a deep, throbbing sore