Page 106 of Silent Oaths
“Asurprise?”Mybrows knit together suspiciously.
Maxwellappears beside me, twirling a strip of black silk between his fingers, eyes mischievous. “Trustus?”
Ihesitate, heart fluttering nervously, butInod. “DoIhave a choice?”
Julianchuckles, gently turning me around. “Notreally, corazón.”
Maxwellties the soft blindfold over my eyes, plunging me into total darkness.Mypulse quickens as one of them takes my hand.
“Relax,Siren.You’llenjoy this,”Theodorewhispers in my ear.
Mythroat tightens, anticipation twisting through my veins as they carefully guide me forward.Thecool morning air brushes my skin, and the soft grass beneath my feet signals we’re outdoors.Confusionfills my mind.
Whereare we going?
Aftera few minutes of walking, we finally come to a stop.
Gentlefingers untie the blindfold, letting it fall away.Blinking,Iimmediately recognize our location.We’restanding at the edge of the forest—the same one they let me run into all those months ago, whenIfirst tried to escape their grasp.
Myheart leaps, chest tightening as realization dawns on me.Mybreathing quickens asIslowly turn to face them, suspicion confirmed by the dangerous, excited gleam in their eyes.
“You’renot...”Iwhisper, unable to finish the thought.
Maxwell’sgrin is wicked, his eyes sparking with uncontained thrill. “Oh, we absolutely are,Starling.”
* * *
Maxwell
Thepast year has been a fucking whirlwind.
WhenIsabeltold us she’d stay, that she wasn’t leaving after everything we’d done, the reliefIfelt nearly knocked me off my feet.Reliefwasn’t somethingIwas accustomed to.Neitherwas attachment.Butsomehow, this vile little creature had clawed her way under my skin and settled herself there permanently.
Itwas a strange feeling, somethingIcould only call love.Itwas a deep, consuming need, growing stronger every single day.It’swild to think about how effortlessly she broke down every defenseI’dcarefully built.
Andthe nights when she joinsJulianand me in bed are my favorite, even if all we do is lie there, tangled up together.Hersoft breath against my neck,Julian’ssteady heartbeat grounding us.Thesimple closeness alone is enough to unravel me.
Fuck.I’vegone soft.
Ishake myself back to the present, focusing again onIsabel’sface.Shelooks like a deer caught in headlights, chest heaving.There’sfear in her eyes, but it’s the exact kindIlove.ThekindIcan mold, shape, transform into the sweetest desire.
I’munable to hide the devilish grin spreading across my lips. “Run,Starling.Let’ssee how far you make it this time.”
Isabelbolts, flying into the darkness like her life depends on it.
Wewait, counting slowly, letting some distance build between us.Finally,Theodorenods, and we move forward into the dense forest.Thetrees loom overhead as dusk stretches its darkening fingers through the branches.
Myeyes scan the trees.Isabelstill doesn’t really know her way around these woods, andIcan’t help but grin.She’sstubborn, relentless, and it’s fucking intoxicating.
Justthen, a tiny movement catches my attention: a flash of her hair whipping behind a thick oak.
Igrin wide, excitement racing through my veins.Gotcha.
“Oh,Starling.Comeout, come out, wherever you are.Thesewoods are dark, and there are monsters outside,”Icall out, my voice dripping with twisted delight.
Asinister chuckle escapes my throat asIcasually twirl my knife between my fingers, stepping forward slowly, savoring every delicious moment of her fear.
Wewhirl around just in time to seeIsabel’sfigure dart through the shadows, slipping past us like a ghost.
