Page 21 of Sweet Obsession

Just one look at Yuri.

Yuri froze.

“Just partying,” Yuri said, too quickly. “No trouble here.”

Misha didn’t even acknowledge him.

His eyes were locked on me.

Assessing. Calculating.

Without a word, he crossed the space between us, one hand settling at my lower back.

I stiffened.

The heat of his touch branded straight through the thin fabric of my dress.

He leaned down, voice like gravel brushed with ice:

“Can you walk?”

I tried to nod.

Failed.

He caught me before I could hit the floor.

Misha’s hand on my back felt like ice against the heat of my skin. His touch was possessive, like he had a right to it, like he had always had a right to it. I should have resisted. I should have screamed. But my body... my body just surrendered. I didn’t understand why. It wasn’t fear—was it something else? No. But in that moment, I couldn’t figure it out. I felt too numb, too dizzy.

He lifted me like I weighed nothing.

The men didn’t move.

Didn’t breathe.

Misha didn’t look at them.

Didn’t offer an explanation.

He just carried me away.

Chapter 4

LUNA

I drifted in and out of consciousness.

The world was a blur of cold marble floors, the soft creak of doors swinging open, the low murmur of voices I couldn’t understand.

But one sound stayed constant.

Footsteps. Measured and heavy. The kind a predator makes when it already knows you can’t run.

I opened my eyes once. Caught a glimpse of a long hallway I didn’t recognize.

Walls lined with somber oil paintings. Gold sconces throwing dim light onto dark wood.

Not the east wing. Not the family quarters.