The air in the room seemed to thrum with tension as Sage rose to his full height. Every movement was deliberate, controlled, like a predator circling its prey. You backed instinctively toward the stairs, but your legs felt heavy, your heart hammering like it would burst through your chest.
"You don't need to be afraid," Sage said, his voice low, almost a whisper, yet somehow it cut through the silence and wrapped around you. "Not… if you obey."
Your stomach twisted. Obey? You were meant to marry this man? The thought was terrifying—but beneath the fear, something else stirred: curiosity. Why did he seem… gentle, even as he radiated danger?
Sage's eyes held yours, unflinching, studying, analyzing. There was no mockery in them, no malice—just cold, precise calculation… and something softer that made your chest tighten. He tilted his head slightly, as if testing you.
"Don't misunderstand," he added, voice still smooth but carrying an edge of warning. "I am not cruel without reason. But I am… firm. You will respect the terms. You will come with me."
You swallowed hard. The room felt too small, the walls closing in. "And if I… refuse?" you whispered, barely audibly, your voice trembling.
A shadow of a smirk curved his lips, just enough to make your pulse spike. "Refusal isn't an option, Isabella. Not for you. Not for anyone who matters to me… or my business."
You felt heat rise to your cheeks. He wasn't yelling, he wasn't threatening in a loud voice—but the quiet, controlled dominance in his tone made it impossible to ignore. He was dangerous. And yet… you sensed a strange, magnetic pull. Something in the way his gaze softened ever so slightly when it lingered on you made your pulse betray you.
Sage stepped closer, careful, measured, yet the space between you seemed charged with electricity. You wanted to back away—but couldn't. Every instinct screamed at you to run. Every part of you was aware of the power he held in his presence, in his words, in his controlled silence.
"Tonight… you'll meet me again," he said finally, his voice dropping to a whisper meant only for you. "And then… we begin."
With that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving a trail of tension in his wake, the weight of his presence still pressing against your skin. You sank onto the stairs, heart racing, mind spinning.
He was terrifying. Ruthless. Unreachable.
And yet… you knew, deep down, that your life had already been claimed.