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I raise the glass to my lips, but before the alcohol even has a chance to wet my tongue, the flute is snatched from me and hurled across the limo. My hand is still raised, holding an invisible stem as I stare in shock at the shards of shattered glass littering the floor.
I slowly turn my head to look at Valentine who just returns to staring out the window.
“We wouldn’t want you getting drunk on an empty stomach,” he says, as if what he didn’t just smash a glass of champagne across the other side of his limo. “Oh, and Evelyn, remember how you’re supposed to address me. You seem to have forgotten.”
Disgust wells up in me at this.
I pull the robe tighter around my body as I curl up on the seat and pretend that I can see anything passing by outside the window. In reality, I’m just left staring at my own, unrecognizable face in the dark reflection, wondering what the heck is going on.
For men who so blatantly disregard the law, they certainly seem to enjoy forcing me to abide by so many of them.
The car finally veers off the road and into an underground tunnel which is so well lit that I’m finally able to make out more than just the hazy blur of streetlights outside my window. The tunnel seems endless as we wind our way deeper and deeper underground.
I didn’t even know it was possible to build anything this deep beneath the surface of the earth.
Finally slowing to a stop, the driver gets out and walks around to open Valentine’s door.
Valentine steps out, and for a split second, I hope he’s going to leave me in the car, but then I notice the end of the leash in his hand. I scramble toward the door before he has a chance to pull it, easing my stilettoed feet out first as Valentine steps to the side to give me room to exit. It’s only as he does this that I realize we’re not alone.
A red carpet leads up to a grand entrance. It’s roped off on either side to contain some of the most terrifyingly beautiful people I’ve ever seen. Their eyes all but laser focus on me as Valentine grabs my elbow to help lift me out of the car.
This is where his helpfulness ends. As soon as I’m standing, he releases his hold on me as he steps forward, freeing some of the leash’s length in the process.
A murmur races through the gathering as they whisper in excitement. I’m almost shocked we aren’t simultaneously blinded by the flash of paparazzi, too, but there aren’t any cameras anywhere to be found.
I have no choice but to follow after Valentine as the leash begins to grow taut between us, despite the shakiness of my legs. By some miracle, I manage to make it halfway down the red carpet, my eyes trained on the ground, before Valentine suddenly stops and turns slowly around to face me.
I glance up just as he closes the distance between us and a collective gasp ripples through the crowd of onlookers. Valentine looms over me, almost seeming far bigger and more terrifying here at the center of everyone’s attention.
He glances around at the crowd before reaching out to force my chin up with the hook of a finger. His mouth parts slightly, a grin playing at the corner of his mouth as our audience grows deadly silent.
My own heart is beating so fast that I can hardly make out anything past the rush of blood in my ears as I glance up into Valentine’s piercing eyes. As soon as our eyes meet, my heart skips a beat in terror.
Every inch of my body is screaming at me to run, to turn and never look back. I try to pull my gaze away from his, but I can’t.
Thankfully, it’s Valentine who breaks the connection to glance up behind me, allowing me a second to breathe, until his grin widens.
I don’t have a chance to see what or who he’s looking at before Valentine steps even closer. His body presses to mine, one hand slipping around my waist as the other moves to cup my cheek.
Still staring at something behind me, he bends to press his lips to mine, stopping just short of actually touching. I remain frozen in place, a chill racing down my spine as goosebumps ripple to life at the coolness of his breath across my lips.
Valentine’s eyes drop to mine again, his fingers bracing themselves against my face and body as he closes what little distance remains between us and presses his lips to mine.
And, yet again, I melt.
My legs give out, and my whole body goes limp. Valentine’s hold on me is the only thing keeping me upright as he deepens the kiss.
I try not to swallow the nectar that fills my mouth with his kiss, but it’s impossible as he forces his tongue deeper into my mouth. Just like before, I feel an overwhelming sense of desire to have him flood my body.
I reach for Valentine, my body taking on a life of its own as my hands catch the lapel of his jacket, and I hang on for dear life as I try to pull myself closer to him.
A low chuckle rolls through him, nearly sending me over the edge, my body suddenly far too sensitive to the touch.
He pulls away, easily removing my hands from his jacket, even as I struggle to maintain my grip on him. I stare up at him, an involuntary whimper escaping me, as if he’s just hurt me in the worst way possible.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my new pet,” Valentine announces, his eyes gleaming as he once again looks over my shoulder, “Evelyn.”
The crowd murmurs in excitement as they all turn to look with him.
