Chloe’s pulse raced as she followed Valerius through the dimly lit corridors of the penthouse. The air seemed to thicken around him, charged with a predatory energy she could almost taste. Her hands shook as she tried to steady herself, but the command in his voice, the dark magnetism in his gaze, made her powerless.

Valerius stopped at the center of the bedroom, the shadows stretching across the walls like long, curling fingers. He stepped close, his body radiating heat and authority. ...