Lyra's POV
My heart was still racing long after Leo walked out of my room, leaving me breathless and shaken. His words echoed in my mind.
"You belong to me now."
I hated the way his voice lingered in my thoughts, hated the way my body still buzzed from the heat of his touch.
What the hell are you doing, Lyra?
I needed space. Air. I felt suffocated by everything: Leo's possessive presence, the looming threat of Adrian, by the weight of this world I'd somehow Fallen into. I couldn't think straight without him clouding my judgement.
I threw on my jacket and pushed open the door. The house was dark, its halls feeling even more like a maze, a beautiful prison I couldn't escape from. Every step echoed in the quiet as I moved through the corridors, searching for a way out, somewhere I could breathe. Somewhere that wasn't haunted by him.
The moment I stepped outside, the cool night air hit me like a shock, and I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my racing heart. The estate's garden was sprawling, a maze of hedges and roses that seemed to go on forever. But all I cared about was putting distance between myself and the man who had thrown my world off its direction.
How did I get here?
Just a few weeks ago, I was nanny with a quiet, normal life, doing what I was good at. And now, I was tangled in a web of danger, power, and obsession. Adrian's sudden return was bad enough. An ex who had always been more possessive than caring. But Leo? He was something else entirely. He was a force that was pulling me in whether I liked it or not.
Why can't I stop thinking about him? I knew I should have pushed him harder. But something about the way he looked at me,kept pulling me in.
As much as I hated it, part of me wanted more. And that scared the hell out of me.
I heard footsteps approaching and stiffened, my pulse jumping. It wasn't just anyone's footsteps. I knew the sound of his walk by now—the slow, deliberate pace, the quiet control in every step. Leo.
I didn't turn around, but I could feel him getting closer. The air seemed to thicken with his presence, wrapping around me like invisible hands. When he finally stopped just behind me, the tension between us was almost unbearable.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," Leo said, his voice low, sending a shiver down my spine.
I swallowed, forcing myself to sound calm. "I needed air."
He didn't respond right away, and I could feel his eyes on me, studying me, reading every thought that I was desperately trying to keep hidden. I hated how he always seemed to know what was going on inside my head before I even did.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter, more measured. "I know this world feels... suffocating. Like you're trapped."
I let out a breath, staring down at my hands. "Isn't that exactly what I am? Trapped between you and Adrian?"
He moved then, stepping around the bench to stand in front of me. His gaze locked on mine, and I could see the storm brewing behind those dark eyes. "You're not trapped with me, Lyra. I'm trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" I laughed bitterly, standing up to face him. "From what, exactly? From Adrian? Or from yourself?"
His jaw tightened, and I could see the flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. "You don't understand what you're in the middle of. Adrian isn't just some jealous ex. He's a man who will tear this city apart to get what he wants."
"And what is that?" I snapped. "Me?"
Leo's silence was all the answer I needed.
I shook my head, stepping back. "I'm not some prize to be fought over, Leo. I'm not yours. I'm not his."
His expression darkened, and before I could move, he was in front of me again, his hand gripping my arm—not painfully, but firm enough to make me stop. "You think you can just walk away from this?" he said, his voice low, dangerous. "You think you can just leave and pretend none of this is happening?"
I glared up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "Maybe I would if you'd let me."
His grip tightened just slightly, and I saw the way his eyes flashed with something dark, something possessive. "I won't let Adrian have you."
"Why?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "Why do you even care?"
For a moment, he didn't answer. His gaze bore into mine, and the intensity of it made my knees weak. Then, slowly, his hand slid up my arm, sending a wave of heat through me. "Because you're mine to protect," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, his lips dangerously close to mine. "And I don't share."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the air out of my lungs. I should have pulled away, should have told him to go to hell. But instead, I found myself leaning in, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
He didn't hesitate. His lips crashed into mine, hard and demanding, and I couldn't stop myself from kissing him back. It was rough, intense, filled with all the tension that had been building between us for days. My hands found his chest, gripping his shirt, needing something to hold onto as the world spun around me.
When he finally pulled back, his breath was ragged, his forehead resting against mine. "You're mine, Lyra," he murmured, his voice hoarse with need. "And I'll burn this whole city down before I let anyone take you from me."
My heart raced, and for the first time, I realized just how deep I'd fallen into his world.