Henry

ed curiosity of hers, it's... entertaining, even if I don't fully understand why. She's far from the type who'd fit into this world, yet

ded to push h

the library, a touch of apprehension in her eyes but her chin held high. That small show of resistance

door, the one door she know

n tell she's dying to ask a hundred questions, but she bites her tongue, which is probably wise. A gentle trem

hogany shelves holding everything from rare books to artifacts that each carry a story no one but me woul

g time here. I expect absolute respect for my boundaries." I give her a pointed l

curiosity betraying her. But she nods

lancing at me, just a quick flicker of those wide brown eyes that are far too expre

k, a smirk playing at the edge of my lips. "Did you think t

. "No... but I didn't expect you'd

the slightest flush rising to her cheeks. "Think of it l

from mine, looking anywhere

eet my gaze. "Curiosity's a dangerous thing, Angele. Es

ing in her eyes. "Maybe you should trust me mo

," I say, letting my voice drop just enough to unnerve her. "B

the weight of my gaze. "Then why did you bring me here? You ca

ce between us, hovering close enough to feel the warm

mination. She's close to breaking, yet there's that spark, that d

a warning, "some doors are meant to stay locked. Do

t I can tell she's r

ust far enough to feel safe, yet close enough to feel the heat. But before she leave

surprises me. "Then maybe you should

he dim light, a smirk on my face. She's already dra

le's

mbled a completely different - every last bit of marble, glass, and muffled steel felt like an expansion of him: cool,

e it called to her, provoking her to check whether she had the nerve to find what lay past. In any case, his admonition re

the interest

ffectiveness, conveying a silver plate stacked with immaculate cloth napkins. He looked at h

fore she could stop herself. "James... what precisely i

es. "Miss Angele, interest is something fine, yet it has its cutoff points, wouldn't you concur?" His ton

she squeezed, her

s eyes indiscernible. "You sh

high water. In any case, the more they kept, the more she ached for replies. Maybe she'd been dropped into a f

and every piece of the penthouse. She stopped, feeling the cool metal against her palm,

is look from prior, the implicit commitment that

sounded on her entryway. She opened it to find Henry

ow thunder, "I figured you could

owing him to the living room where a fire snapped delicately. He poured her a be

with something she was unable to name. "For what reason did you wed m

nterest me, Angele," he mumbled at last, his voice like velvet over ste

, feeling the heaviness of his advance notice settle like a stone in her chest. Yet, her interest just erupted more

uriosity wins?" she murmur

en it's a round of endurance, sweetheart," he mumbled, his voice delicate however

ulled away, leaving her with the agitating inclina