Chapter 27 Time

• Lucian's kiss still burned on my lips, his touch branding me in a way that made escape feel impossible. As I stepped back from him, my heart pounding, I tried to hold onto my resolve, but the pull between us felt like a rope tightening around my chest.
• "I need time," I whispered, trembling beneath the intensity of his gaze. "I need to think."
• Lucian's expression hardened instantly, the softness from a moment ago vanishing as though it had never existed. His grip on my waist remained firm, almost possessive, and I could see the storm brewing in his eyes. He wasn't going to listen to me-not this time.