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For the first time, she did not see the cold, unfeeling monster. Rather, she saw Edwin, her husband, beaming at her, pride evident in his eyes.

CHAPTER 14

“We should return to the ball,” Edwin said as he held out his hand to her.

Ava took his hand, and he pulled her up. Her face was flushed, and she looked even more radiant. He pulled her closer to him and took her lips in a languorous kiss.

He could never have enough of her. She intoxicated him in the best way possible.

And now, as her lips parted to let his tongue inside, he had half a mind to take her right there and then. To show her even more pleasure until she begged him for more.

Instead, he released her.

“That was simply…” she trailed off, her eyes filled with longing.

“Simply what?” he prompted. “You must tell me how it felt.”

“Like my entire body was on fire,” she whispered. “And yet I did not want it to end. I wanted more of it.”

He knew she was not quite sated. She wanted more.

Maybe another time.

He helped her fix her dress so that she looked prim and proper like she had when they slipped out of the ballroom. After all, he would not want people to speculate about what they had done.

“Let us see the ball to its end, then perhaps we may pick up where we left off.” He took her hand and led her out of the room.

Ava’s face lit up. “We will continue at home?” she asked.

Edwin tapped a finger on his jaw as though deep in thought. “Hmm, I guess we shall see.”

“Just tell me!” she pleaded.

“Then how would I be able to tease you?” he quipped.

Ava groaned in frustration but said nothing.

They had just rounded a corner when Edwin heard a rustling sound behind them. He stopped, and his body went stiff.

“Did you hear that rustling sound?” he asked.

Ava shook her head and pointed to the hallway on the ground floor. “I can see some people in the distance. Perhaps they?—”

Without warning, a figure stepped out of the shadows, making her clam up.

Even though Edwin could not quite see his face due to the darkness, he knew enough to know that a strange man stepping out of the shadows was not good news.

Instinctively, he pushed Ava behind him. “Wh?—”

Before the words could leave his lips, the figure charged at him. Edwin caught a glimpse of the weapon in the man’s hand. It glimmered.

A knife?

Edwin tackled him, careful to avoid the knife in his left hand. With his full weight, he pushed the man away from Ava to a wall at the other end of the hallway.

The man struggled against him. He suddenly feigned to the left, and in a flash, Edwin felt a sharp burn before he saw the knife buried deep in his hand. It was yanked back before he could even say a word.

He staggered backward and gritted his teeth as the pain hit him fully. His attacker took the opportunity to flee, and he could only watch as the man disappeared back into the shadows.