The air in the hallway was thick and suffocating.
It tasted of expensive bourbon and unspoken threats.
Adrian stood by the door, his silhouette cutting a jagged shadow against the marble floor.
He looked like a god of ruin, his eyes fixed on his only rebel.
"And you... you will be staying in my room from now on."
His voice wasn't a suggestion.
It was an execution.
Elena snapped her head in his direction, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.
She clutched the guest room bedsheets so tightly her knuckles turned a ghostly white.
"I am... NOT."
The defiance in her voice was thin, but it was there.
Adrian smirked. It was a feral, dangerous expression.
"Oh? So now you are disobeying my orders, huh?"
His voice dropped an octave, vibrating with a dominating frequency that made her skin crawl.
Elena narrowed her eyes, refusing to break the daring eye contact.
"Yes. Because I am not your pet who will follow your every command."
Adrian didn't answer with words.
Instead, he began to move.
He took slow, measured steps toward her, like a predator stalking prey in the tall grass.
Elena felt the instinct to bolt, but her pride kept her rooted to the spot.
Before she could even breathe, Adrian lunged.
With a grunt of effortless strength, he hauled her over his shoulder.
The world flipped upside down.
Elena gasped as her stomach hit his rock-hard shoulder.
His arm locked around her thighs like a band of iron.
"Let me down! Adrian, put me down!"
She rained blows against his broad back, her fists thudding against his expensive shirt.
She kicked her legs and shouted her lungs out in defiance.
Adrian didn't even flinch.
He didn't loosen his grip—not even an inch.
He kicked open the double doors to his master bedroom.
The room smelled of charcoal, silk, and power.
With a sharp movement, he threw her onto the center of the king-sized bed.
Elena bounced against the mattress and tried to scramble away.
But Adrian was a blur of movement.
He pinned her wrists above her head against the pillows.
He locked her legs with his own, crushing her escape before it could begin.
He leaned down, his voice a low, terrifying growl.
"Tonight, I will show you exactly who you belong to."
Elena's eyes widened at the dark desire reflecting in his obsidian pupils.
"Don't... you... dare..."
Her words were cut short.
Adrian slammed his lips against hers in a firm, claiming kiss.
He gripped her neck tightly to hold her in place, claiming her mouth like a conqueror.
Elena whimpered loudly when he bit down on her lower lip, just enough to prove his dominance.
Adrian pulled back just a fraction, his tongue darting out to lick the saliva off from his lip.
"Damn," he rasped, his voice sounding like gravel over velvet.
"You are addictive. Better than any old wine I've ever tasted."
Adrian leaned closer again.
His presence overwhelming.
His voice came out low.
Rough.
"You can't run away from me."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Her mind racing.
Her body still trapped under his hold.
Her voice came out soft.
Broken.
"I hate this…"
"I hate this life… this place…"
"I hate you."
The words were quiet.
But they echoed loudly.
Adrian didn't react immediately.
Didn't pull away.
Didn't speak.
But something shifted in his eyes.
Just for a second.
Something human.
Something dangerous.
Then it was gone.
Replaced by control.
By distance.
By cold certainty.
"Get used to it."
His voice returned to normal.
Low.
Unyielding.
Her heart sank.
Completely.
He slowly released her wrists.
Stepping back just enough to give her space.
But not freedom.
Never that.
She sat up quickly.
Moving away from him.
Putting distance between them.
Her breathing uneven.
Her body trembling.
But her eyes—
Still defiant.
Still refusing to submit.