She’s still breathing hard. Still unsure of her place in this world I am dragging her into. She is still unaware of the ways I am anchoring her to me, one irreversible step at a time.
She has no idea how close she is to being mine in every possible sense, and she will not understand it fully until the moment her body carries proof of it.
By then, she will belong to me completely.
And she will realize it far too late to undo anything.
Ruby
The second Zanereleases the guy, the room exhales amid a gust of whispers, cameras click, and poorly disguised stares ripping through the space.
Before anyone can swarm us, I grab Zane’s arm. “Hallway. Now.”
He doesn’t resist.
He follows me through a side door and into a narrow corridor, the music muted behind us, the shadows thicker, the air less lacquered with perfume and artificial charm.
The moment the door shuts, I whirl on him.
“What the hell was that?” My voice is a sharp whisper, fierce enough to snap.
He towers over me, chest rising too fast, hands flexing, jaw tight. His eyes haven’t fully come back down from whatever high-voltage storm was raging in him.
“Ruby, he tried to drug you.”
“No,” I bite out, “heofferedsomething. I wasn’t going to take it.”
“You shouldn’t have to turn it down.”
“That’s not how the world works!”
“It is when you’re mine.”
My head jerks back. I feel the anger, fear, adrenaline, humiliation, every emotion crashing together in a dizzy rush.
“You don’t get to say that,” I hiss. “Not when you’re causing scenes at the biggest industry party of the year. Do you know how many cameras were on you? On me? Freddie is probably?—”
“I don’t give a flying fuck about Freddie.” His voice is lower now. Rougher. Barely hanging on. “And neither should you.”
I shake my head. “Zane?—”
“I saw his hand,” he says, stepping closer. “I saw your face. I saw the pill. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened if he had two more brain cells and decided to put that shit in your drink when you weren’t looking?”
His breathing turns frantic and uneven, clearly imagining a worse scenario even though the previous one is over. His fingers twitch at his sides and he looks back towards the terrace like he’s contemplating going back to inflict permanent damage on the guy.
And as I watch he glances up and down the hallway, at the lights that feel too bright even to me. He grips my arms suddenly and my heart lurches as his gaze jumps restlessly between my eyes, my lips, my neck, returning to my eyes as if anchoring himself there.
Another episode.
I see it rising. I see the energy pounding through him without direction.
I soften…just a fraction.
“Zane,” I say more quietly, “it’s okay. I’m okay. But…you can’t grab people by the throat every time you get overwhelmed.”
He swallows hard. “Then ground me.”
I blink. “What?”
