Caroline’s mind raced as Damon’s grip pressed into her wrist, his touch firm and possessive, a reminder that escape from him was an impossibility. But her fear was met by a surge of defiance. She couldn’t let herself fall under his complete control—not when there was still a glimmer of hope.
Damon’s fingers relaxed ever so slightly, but his gaze remained intense. “Why, Caroline?” he asked, his voice soft but laced with a palpable edge of frustration and anger. “Why would you want to leave when I’ve offered you everything?”
Caroline met his gaze, searching his eyes for any semblance of vulnerability she could use to her advantage. “Because,” she murmured, willing herself to appear fragile, “I feel like a prisoner here.”
Damon’s face softened for a fleeting second, as if her words had str
