Luna’s cheek throbbed where the masked figure had struck her, the pain sharp but fleeting compared to the deeper ache of seeing Grayson’s rage on the monitor before the feed cut. Her words—Don’t give them anything—had been a desperate plea, but she knew Grayson too well. He’d tear the world apart for her, just like he’d promised under that starlit garden on their first real date.
She tugged at the ropes binding her wrists, the coarse fibers biting into her skin. The basement’s damp air was heavy with salt and rust. Somewhere nearby, water lapped gently against docks—a cruel reminder of how far she was from safety… from him.
Damien leaned against the wall, his tailored suit and polished shoes a mockery of the monster she’d once escaped. His blue eyes, once deceptively charming, gleamed no
