Adeline slammed the front door behind her, her hands trembling, chest heaving. Every step she had taken from Sixth Sense to the estate had been filled with anticipation, a fragile hope that maybe the night would be quiet, that maybe Donovan would just be himself, as he always was with her. But what she had seen—the slow, deliberate kiss between Donovan and Selena—was a knife to her heart.Her mind was a storm, words colliding with emotion. How could he? After everything… after what we've been through? Rage and betrayal surged through her veins, yet beneath it all, a flicker of fear lingered—Donovan was unpredictable, dangerous, and she was utterly in his world now.She found him in the living room, standing near the fireplace, the shadows of the room falling across his sculpted features. He didn't flinch, didn't move to greet her, but his eyes darkened the moment he saw the fire in hers."Adeline," he said, his voice low and controlled, yet carrying that unmistakable weight of authority. "I thought you were out.""I was!" she spat, her fingers gripping the edge of a chair. "And I come back, and what do I see? You… her… kissing you! Don't you dare—""I am not hers!" Donovan cut her off sharply, stepping closer, each movement deliberate and dangerous. "Do you think for one second that a single action from her could ever mean anything to me? You, Adeline… you are the only one I want. The only one I need. And she knows it."Adeline's chest heaved, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "Then why did it look like… like you wanted her? How could you let her—""I didn't 'let' her," Donovan growled, his voice low and dangerous. "She pushed the limits because she thinks she can tempt me. Because she thinks she can take what belongs to me. And you—you need to trust me, Adel. You always have to trust me."Her body trembled with a mix of anger and desire. She hated that he could still make her feel this way—his words were fire, igniting something in her chest she didn't want to admit. And yet, the fear that he might have really entertained Selena's advances burned hotter."Do you understand me?" Donovan's hand reached out, gripping her chin and tilting her face to meet his. His thumb brushed over her cheek, tracing the line of her jaw like he was marking her as his. "Do you understand what happens to anyone who touches what's mine?"Adeline swallowed hard. "Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling, a mix of defiance and surrender.Donovan's lips pressed against hers then, slow, demanding, possessive. The anger, the jealousy, the fear—all of it melted under the dark heat of his kiss. Her hands clawed at his jacket, pulling him closer as if trying to merge with him, trying to reclaim him from the shadow of Selena.Selena, seated in the corner, smiled faintly but didn't move. She knew better than to interfere now. The power between Donovan and Adeline was undeniable, raw and unyielding, and even she could see that no challenge could break it.When Donovan finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers. "Adel… no one touches me. Not her. Not anyone. Only you. Do you hear me?""I hear you," she said, her voice hoarse, but this time it was more than just words. It was a promise—her loyalty, her heart, her submission to the life and the man she had chosen.The tension in the room shifted, thick and almost suffocating. Selena rose gracefully, her eyes glinting with mischief but also respect, and finally stepped back. "I'll leave for tonight," she said, her voice smooth. "But remember… temptations are never far."Donovan's dark gaze followed her, unblinking, as she departed. Only when the sound of her heels faded into the night did he turn fully back to Adeline."You are mine, Adel," he murmured, pressing her body close once again. "And I don't forgive those who try to take you from me."Adeline's fingers found his hair, pulling him closer, her heart pounding. "And I'm yours," she whispered, the fire in her chest calming into a dangerous warmth, one that matched the man she loved and feared.The night stretched on, the room silent but for the faint crackle of the fireplace and the quiet sound of their synchronized breathing. Danger lingered outside, in the shadows, in the threats that never slept—but in that moment, in the dark of the estate, Adeline and Donovan were the only reality that mattered.And though the world outside might try to tear them apart, for tonight, she was his—completely, irrevocably, and willingly.
