Frowning, I stared down at the book, then looked around the room. Everything was crisp, sharp—every edge, every detail. I put my glasses on again. Blurry. I took them off again. Perfect.
“What the fuck?”
Panic prickled at the edges of my thoughts. My vision had been terrible my entire life. This wasn’t normal. This wasn’t possible.
Was it the bond? The ritual? Something Raffaele had done to me without my knowledge?
A bitter taste filled my mouth as I put my glasses on the desk. The necklace around my throat seemed to tighten until it felt like I was suffocating. I needed answers, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to ask Raffaele for them. Not yet.
I glanced out the window, surprised at how much time had passed. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky. Tonight. I’d take the books back to the library tonight and see if I could find anything else that might explain what was happening to me.
Right now, though, I needed air. Distance. I needed to clear my head. I stood and crossed to the window on shaky legs. The bond thrummed, reminding me of the man who loomed over every facet of my life.
I pressed my hand to the glass, staring out at the sprawling grounds of the estate. This wasn’t freedom. It never would be.
21
RAFFAELE
The rustle of the breeze coming through the windows was all that broke the absolute silence in my office. The world outside was a study in contrasts—the endless expanse of manicured grounds bathed in sunlight while I sat in shadow, the curtains drawn just enough to keep the brightness at bay. My gaze lingered on the horizon, but my thoughts were nowhere near the scenery.
They were with her.
Vivian.
She’d kissed me. Unprovoked. My mind kept circling back to it, a relentless loop of soft lips, the taste of her, the hitch in her breath when I’d gripped her waist and pulled her closer. And those soft, breathy noises she’d made when I’d gone down on her. They’d been full of unguarded need, and now echoed in my mind like a haunting melody I couldn’t forget. The motherfuckingtasteof her.
What had she been trying to do? Manipulate me? Seduce me? Had she thought she could gain some semblance of control by using her body? It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried to bend me to their will with desire. I’d seen it before—hell, I’d used the same tactics myself countless times. But somethingabout her felt different. Vivian didn’t wield her body like a weapon. She moved like someone caught in a storm, uncertain of her own strength but unwilling to crumble.
I clenched my jaw, forcing the thoughts aside. She’d been… vulnerable.No,I corrected myself,calculating. It had been a one-time moment of weakness on both our parts. I couldn’t let it mean anything more. Couldn’t let her get close.
The door creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. I didn’t turn around—I didn’t have to. Only one person in this godforsaken estate had the audacity to barge into my office unannounced.
“Eldora,” I said flatly, still staring out the window.
“Raffaele,” she replied, her voice light but edged with that familiar maternal sternness that always set my teeth on edge. “You look like hell.”
“Charming as always,” I muttered, finally turning to face her. She stood just inside the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her and a knowing glint in her eye. She was the picture of poise and grace, but I knew better. Eldora could cut you to shreds with a few well-placed words, and she never hesitated to wield that power when she deemed it necessary.
She closed the door behind her and crossed the room, sinking gracefully into the chair across from my desk. “You’ve been brooding,” she said, studying me with an intensity that made me want to look away. “Care to share why?”
“I don’t brood,” I replied, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms over my chest. “I strategize.”
“Of course you do.” Her lips quirked in a faint smile. “And does this strategy involve staring out the window for hours on end, looking like someone kicked your favorite puppy?”
“I’ve never had a favorite puppy,” I said dryly. “Or any puppy, for that matter.”
She rolled her eyes, the gesture so human it was almost comical coming from her. “You know what I mean. Stop deflecting.”
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “What do you want, Eldora?”
She tilted her head, her expression softening just enough to disarm me. “I came to remind you that you’re missing out.”
“On what?” I asked, though I already knew where this conversation was headed.
“Happiness. You deserve it, you know. Even if it’s with a human.”
I barked out a laugh, the sound sharp and humorless. “Me? Never.”
