Page 23 of When Night Falls

But I don’t know why it’s saying these things to me. I don’t like this. I don’t feel pleasure from it.

At least not from the couple in the room now, but the other man's eyes . . . Okay, so maybe I do—or did—feel slight pleasure from it.

I’ve been waiting for you.

The voice says, and I ignore it to continue feeling the warmth pool between my legs. I’ve never felt so needy for an interaction like the one I was watching, as forbidden as that seems.

“Lucynda.”This time, the whisper of my name snaps me out of my satiated daze, the voice sounding like it’s escaped the confines of my mind and manifested itself into something real.

I whip my head to the left and see no one.

To the right, not a soul.

I look around and the hall is completely empty. It’s just me, the lights from the other windows seem to be dimmed too. I look back to the room I was watching and they’re both gone as well, just the spotlight shining down on the throne in the center of the room remains and I feel anxiety from the sudden absence of people. Feeling trapped in a room full of nothing but darkness and air.

“It’s okay, you’re safe,”the voice whispers and again, it sounds tangible. That’s when I feel the feather of a touch caress my neck from behind and without a second thought, I rip the mask off my face, tossing it down behind me as I take off running through thecurtain. I run as fast as I can toward the stairs, trying not to fall down the spiraled flight.

I run straight for the bodyguard, not caring who I bump into or who sees me as people still dance the night away, and before I even have to ask him, he has my phone and purse ready for me. I grab them from him and book it out the way I came, down the hall with the neon blue lights.

I reach the door to the exit and push against the metal door, but it won’t budge. I try with all my might to push it open but it’s stuck. I look behind me, frightened that whoever the fuck was back there messing with me is approaching quickly, and then I remember that the first bodyguard warned me about my ticket.

I search my clutch for the ticket and find it, feeling my heart about to hammer out of my chest. I scan the barcode and the door swings open. The other bodyguard isn’t here, so I let out the breath I was holding as I desperately gasp for fresh air, bent over with my hands on my knees. The door slams behind me causing me to jump out of my skin.

Everything feels hot, so I welcome the breeze of the cold air for only a second as I look at my phone and see that it’s exactly midnight.

I hear a noise at the door behind me, as if it's being opened, and my gut tells me to run, so I chase after the wind through the trees, but I only get a few feet in before the wind picks up and something smacks into me, taking my breath away. I clench my eyes shut and when I open them, I’m standing in the middle of my living room.

10

her heart to break

Rivian

"Come out! Show yourself right now! I know you're here; I canfeelyou." Her demand is insolent but the way she's pouting while scrunching her nose has me holding back laughter, and I almost have half the nerve to stay in the shadows and watch her throw her tantrum some more.

But time is being wasted and this needs to work tonight or I'm afraid my plans might fail. I decide to step out from the corner of her darkened living room, watching her as she turns around every which way in a panic, so I wait for her to spot me.

And when she does, she comes charging, rearing her hand back and then thrashing it into my chest.

"What the fuck was that? Who are you?" Her question is harsh as her demeanor is apoplectic, even more so when all I react with is a small smile.

She pulls her hand back and tries to swing again but this time, I stop her with the grip of my own hand, holding her wrist tightlyin midair. She struggles to get it free but only grunts when she realizes she's not going to be made victorious in this battle.

"I implore you, Lucynda, calm down before you hurt yourself. If you try to hit me again, you will regret it." I growl at her, and I will make good on my threat, but she doesn't know that the way my heart beats for her right now might very well be my own undoing.Shemight be my undoing. But she has to be the resolution first.

"Are you calm?" I ask her, squeezing her wrist for good measure and watching her facial expression twist from anger to confusion to wanting to comply. I could compel her to stop overreacting but overstepping that barrier of trust with her is not the way I want her to obey. I want her to willingly make this decision on her own despite the meddling I had to do to get her here.

She nods and I feel her muscles relax a little.

I let go of her wrist and she yanks it back, nursing it and seeing the redness arise where my grip was.

"Now, I can tell you might have some questions for me. Let's start with one at a time, shall we." I take a much needed step back from her, needing to create space between us.

She may have no idea who I am, but she has been all that's been on my mind these past few weeks, consuming me with her alluring gray eyes, her pearl-colored hair, her porcelain-doll skin, along with every little quirk she has. Like right now, how she crosses her arms across her chest and a small crease layers the bridge of her nose where a few freckles claim home, one of her eyebrows elevates as she stares up at me from underneath her dark, long lashes.

"Who are you?" She spits out as calmly as her inflamed emotions will let her.

I realize I've been somewhat playing games with her mind these last few weeks but right now, I need to get her on board with me, I want her to feel desire in what I have to offer.