Riise looked at the woman in his arms, his breathing growing heavier. His usually composed eyes now burned with an unfamiliar intensity.
“You need me? Then why were you so close to that other man?” he murmured.
He recalled the auction, where Anna’s presence had captivated everyone. He couldn’t help but think of the handsome, kind man by her side. They looked perfect together. Riise had always considered himself a man of considerable charm, but jealousy crept in, mingled with an unexpected insecurity.
The realization hit him—every man around this beautiful woman was as compelling as he was, if not more.
“Anna, even if he’s by your side now, I’m the one who saved you,” Riise said fiercely, though his touch remained gentle. This comparison filled him with a strange sense of victory. In th
