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

The heavy silver keycard felt like a block of ice in Clara’s palm.

Long after the heavy steel door had clicked shut, leaving her alone in the brutalist silence of her bedroom, she remained seated on the edge of the mattress. Julian’s words echoed in the cavernous space, reverberating against her r