EVELINA
Every thoughtin my head is screaming for me to turn andrun.
The exit is right there.
I’m not physically restrained or held captive. He’s even dropped his iron-like grip on my wrist .
And yet, I still follow Vaughn wordlessly through the party, as if there’s an invisible collar around my neck that has me stumbling after him to keep up.
In a last-ditch attempt to extricate myself from this hold he seems to have over me, I furtively glance around, searching for Gabby, hoping she’ll come save me from this man, or from myself.
But she’s nowhere to be found.
There are no allies here.
Onlyhim.
Vaughn opens a door at the side of the open area where the party is being held, and I shiver when he reaches back, wraps a stronghand around my upper arm, and yanks me after him into the darkness beyond. I gasp sharply as I almost trip over my heels before the door is slammed shut behind us.
A lone, flickering candle sitting on the back of the vanity casts dramatic, dancing shadows around the powder room. My eyes dart to him as he starts to loosen his tie.
“Anything you’d like to say?”
My throat tightens.
“I—I’m sorry,” I blurt. “I didn’t mean to throw my drink in your?—”
“I don’t give a shit about your childish attempt to be petulant,” Vaughn murmurs.
It’s the cool, even tone of his voice that sends ice through my veins. He’s not angry. There’s no threat in his voice.
It’s just…flat.
Dead.
Inhuman.
“I don’t understand,” I say quietly.
Vaughn turns to me, his head tipping slightly to the side. “Say it,” he says quietly. His icy blue eyes suck the meager light from the small bathroom around us, until they’re almost glowing with a chilling intensity. “Say your word, Evelina.”
Slowly, I shake my head side to side.
Vaughn exhales. “Again, the absence of that word is your implied consent. Be quite sure you understand what you’re agreeing to.”
“I—” My voice breaks. “I understand.”
“No, you don’t,” he says quietly. “But you will.” He pulls his tie the rest of the way off, then wraps it slowly around one of his fists.
I start to tremble as I realize again I might have gotten inwayover my head.
So why is that feeling inside me coiling even tighter?
Clenching.
Liquifying.
“There are rules, Evelina.”
