Page 91 of Stalked

“Yes.”

His hands slide into my hair, cradling my head as he pulls me toward him. This kiss is different from the desperate clash of moments ago. It's soft, tender—almost reverent. His lips move against mine with a gentleness I didn't know he possessed.

I feel something shifting inside me, like tectonic plates rearranging. The meticulous control I've maintained over every aspect of my life—my career, my apartment, my relationships—suddenly seems exhausting. What would it be like to just let go? To surrender not just my body but everything else to this man who's consumed by me?

What would it be like to drown in Vane Blackwood? To stop fighting the current and sink into the depths of whatever this is between us—this obsessive, possessive, all-consuming thing that's somehow survived fifteen years of separation?

For the first time, the thought doesn't terrify me.

36

VANE

Iguide Lia through the front doors of the Blackwood estate, my hand possessively at the small of her back. The marble foyer gleams under crystal chandeliers—a far cry from the cramped apartment where I first claimed her in high school.

“This is...” Lia's voice trails off as she takes in the sweeping staircase and vaulted ceilings.

“A step up from our old place,” I finish for her, enjoying the wonder in her eyes. “Amazing what a trust fund can do once it's actually accessible.”

She turns to me. “It's beautiful.”

“You're beautiful,” I counter, pulling her against me for a brief kiss before leading her toward the dining room. “Xavier insisted on building this place the minute he turned twenty-one and could access our trust fund. Took two years to complete.”

As we enter the dining room, Xavier's voice cuts through the chatter. “Finally decided to grace us with your presence, brother?”

My older brother sits at the head of the mahogany table, Mira at his right. Landon and his prey, Sadie, occupy the other side,while Knox lounges with Bianca practically in his lap despite the formal setting.

“Fashionably late,” I reply with a smirk, pulling out Lia's chair.

Xavier's eyes narrow slightly. Even in a tailored suit, hosting a family dinner, his authority is unmistakable. “Lia, welcome to our home. I trust my brother has been treating you well since the Hunt?”

I feel Lia tense beside me. “Perfectly well, thank you.”

“Vane always did have a particular taste for you,” Xavier continues, raising his wine glass. “Though I must say, his persistence has paid off.”

Knox snorts. “That's putting it mildly.”

“Dinner is served,” Xavier announces as staff bring in the first course—a delicate lobster bisque.

I watch Lia's eyes dart around the table, taking in the various dynamics. Knox has his arm draped over Bianca's chair, fingers idly playing with her hair. At the same time, she pretends to be annoyed but leans into his touch anyway.

“So, Lia,” Knox says with that shit-eating grin of his, “exactly how many restraining orders did my brother violate to get you back to Ravenwood?”

I kick him under the table. “Fuck off.”

“Language at dinner, gentlemen,” X warns, but there's amusement in his eyes.

“I came back willingly,” Lia replies smoothly. “Eventually.”

Knox raises his glass. “To fifteen years of stalking paying off!”

I raise my glass, meeting Knox's smirk with one of my own. “At least I committed to my obsession. You couldn't even get Bianca to return your texts for three months.”

Bianca nearly chokes on her wine. “He wouldn't leave me alone.”

Knox presses a kiss to her temple. “I just needed the right hunting ground to make my move.”

“Speaking of commitment,” Landon says quietly, his eyes meeting mine across the table, “I heard you broke protocol the night after the Hunt.”