Page 46 of Inheritance

I opened my eyes.

Ivan was crouched just inches from me. Shirtless, expressionless.

My blood turned to ice.

The chain at my ankle snapped tight, dragging hard against the floor with a metallic clatter as I scrambled away from him as far as I could.

Slowly, he moved towards me, smelling so strongly of alcohol it made my eyes water.

“I’m not much of a morning person either,” he said, amusement playing at the edges of his mouth. “Maybe you’d prefer to sleep in a bed?”

“Fuck off,” I rasped, voice hoarse but steady.

His grin widened—slow, deliberate—as his hand slid up my thigh.

“Make me,” he said.

I whipped my chained ankle up, over, and around his neck, twisting the metal into a loop and yanking. Desperate. Furious.

But before I could tighten it, his hand snapped up and caught my foot.

Muscles flaring, his grip was iron.

He didn’t flinch. Didn’t stop smiling.

I twisted, kicked, used everything I had—but it didn’t matter. He was stronger.

He unlooped the chain from his neck like it was nothing and let it drop with a heavy thud.

His pupils were blown wide—so wide they devoured the green of his iris. It was like staring into a bottomless pit.

I couldn’t move.

He leaned in close, close enough that I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, voice low and smooth.

“Get away from me.”

I yanked my leg, but his grip only tightened—not painful, but enough to let me know he was the one with power.

The room felt smaller. The air, heavier.

“Let me go!” I shouted desperately.

His grip loosened, and I pulled away.

“All you had to do was ask,” he said after a beat.

I clenched my teeth, refusing to blink.

He sat next to me on the couch with a long exhale, draping an arm across my shoulders, thumb tracing lazy circles along my upper arm. I couldn’t back away any further.

“I got an interesting call earlier.” He glanced at me expectantly, like I should care.

“An acquaintance of mine gave me all the Auditores’ secrets.” He studied me for a reaction. I gave him none.

“The best one is where they keep their dirty money—most of it, anyway.”