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“No, of course not,” he says in a fake gravelly tone that pulls a giggle out of me.

It’s that foreign sound coming out of me that has me leaping out of his sensual trap. My heart pounds a merciless rhythm and I palm it to make it stop—stop betraying me.

I walk straight to the table and pick up my glass of wine, gulping it down.

“Why are you here?” I ask once my nerves and the butterflies settle.

“Wanted to see if you’re all right.” He shrugs, as if checking on me is the most normal thing in the world. That takes me by surprise so much thatno words come out.

As if it’s his place, which it technically is, he takes another glass and places it down on the table. Then, he sits down on the plush armchair with one leg crossed over the other, looking like a king on his throne, waiting for his offering—me.

He cocks his head, his eyes never leaving mine.

“What are we doing here, Luciana?”

“I don’t know,” I say and approach him, my knees bumping into his.

He sets his legs down, spreading them, and I settle myself between them.

Gently, he brushes his fingers behind the back of my knees, climbing up inch by amazing inch, torturing me with a scintillating promise.

He plays with the hem of my dress, and a small moan tumbles out of my mouth. I need to support myself or this overload of sensations will cause me to faint. So, I place my hands on his shoulders, his body cocooning mine, making me feel safe.

“You’re so beautiful, I fucking ache. I could stare at you every second of every minute of every fucking day, and I doubt I’d have enough.”

“I made a vow,” I say, trying to get myself together, “of celibacy.”

“Interesting. Why?”

“Because no man is worthy of touching me.”

His throat rumbles with a groan. “My Silver Death, I am touching you just now.”

He even claims me.Put an end to this madness.

I am about to move when he pulls me to him by my waist, trapping me between his hard chest and his iron arms. He strokes down my back, lulling me to give in. He’s the devil himself, taking human form to make me want to break my vow.

“It will be a pity…” I exhale deeply, the sound laced with sadness.

“Yeah, but until then, let’s enjoy the silence together.”

That’s what we do for long minutes as I rest my head on his shoulder, and we watch the lights of the city dance over the skyline.

“Why don’t you let anyone close to you?” I ask him.

He stops caressing me for a moment before he resumes his ministrations.

“They can be taken away. Death is the only sure thing in our world.”

The answer guts as it heals me. I can understand his reasoning.

I draw patterns on his chest, caring only about touching him.

“There can’t be anything else… it would be…” There are so many words that could fit our predicament.

“Complicated,” he starts.

“Messy.”