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There's a boldness inside me that wasn't there before.

It's like a match has been lit, throwing light at a space where there was once only darkness. I'm still basking in the glow.

It feels nice to be in the warmth of the fire.

But I also know that if I get too close to the flames, it will just as easily devour me whole.

17

EMMA

Ihesitate in front of the door.

Once I cross the threshold, there's no going back. Whatever happens inside the room will forever change my relationship with Mr. Sinclair.

Don't think too much about it.I hear Ophelia's voice in my head.

"Here goes nothing," I whisper to myself.

I knock on the door.

"Come in." His voice floats through the room.

It's a voice I'd recognize anywhere. The same voice has been wrapping around me like a blanket every night since I met him. It plays in my head like a dark lullaby until I fall asleep.

I push the door open.

The room is lit only by candlelight. He's sitting in an armchair by the window, untouched by the warm light. He thrives in the shadows and moonlight. A true creature of the night.

My mind tells me to bolt.

My heart tells me to stay.

I let the coat fall to the ground. His eyes peruse my body, but they remain indifferent. If he finds me attractive, he doesn't show it.

"Close the door," he orders.

I do as he says. The second the door closes behind me, it gets harder to breathe.

This intimidating man has sucked all the oxygen from the room, leaving none for me.

"Come closer," he says. "I want to get a better look at you."

His deep voice ignites something in my core.

I'm turned on right now, but my skin prickles with an unfamiliar emotion. I realize that it's jealousy. He doesn't know who I am. To him, I'm just a stranger he's paying for.

I have no right to feel this way about him, but I feel it all anyway.

"What are you waiting for?" he asks. Something flashes in his eyes—a dominant nature that I've only caught glimpses of.

I take a step toward him.

"No," he says. "Crawl."

The second the word leaves his mouth, I drop to my knees. I don't question his order. It feels so natural to do whatever he tells me to.

I move toward him on my hands and knees.