Clara Vance stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of her gilded cage, staring out at the unforgiving wilderness that surrounded the estate. The morning sun was bright, casting long, sharp shadows across the dense pine trees and the jagged cliffside.

It had been hours since the explosion. H

The heavy oak doors of the dining hall loomed at the end of the corridor, flanked by two armed guards who looked more like statues than men. Marcus Reed walked silently beside Clara, his massive frame a constant, stoic reminder of her captivity.

"He doesn't like to be kept waiting," Marcus murmure

The silence in Clara’s bedroom was deafening.

It had been three hours since Julian had carried her up the stairs and unceremoniously deposited her inside, locking the heavy door behind him. Her skin still burned where his hands had gripped her waist. Her mind was a chaotic whirlwind of fear, adren