Silent Night Encore
Snow pressed against my windows, making me drowsy.
The Christmas tree kept the shadows across the living room of our apartment at bay.
Eleven Days of Christmas had come and gone, each with a new surprise.
The Second Day of Christmas, my monster gave to me, an apartment and a bed with restraints.
Each day progressed accordingly. Tonight, I expected nothing less than a grand finale.
I woke with a start when I heard the rustle of paper behind the tree. My book fell from my lap, thumping on the ground.
Cristiano stepped out of the shadows. The flickering yellow light cast a glint in his eyes. In his gloved hands, he held something small, wrapped in crimson velvet.
“You’re back,” I breathed. “I didn’t hear you come inside.”
The smirk on his lip was dangerous. Cristiano knelt, offering the box like a peace treaty, a challenge, and a temptation all at once.
“I saved the best for last,” my monster murmured, his voice low and dangerous.
My pulse spiked. I slid off the couch and edged closer, drawn in by the scent of him—leather, winter air, and something I couldn’t name.
“Open it,” he said.
My fingers trembled as I untied the ribbon. Inside, a key glimmered in the lamplight. Not a normal key. A sturdy, industrial one, with a symbol etched into the metal that made my stomach twist.
“I found it for you,” he said, voice rough. “It opens more than doors.”
Before I could ask, he rose and stepped closer. My back hit the tree, the warmth of him pressing against me. His hands found my wrists. Not tight, but claiming, dangerous.
“You shouldn’t be afraid,” he whispered. “Not of me…not of comes next.”
My breath caught as the snowstorm outside rattled the windows. I didn’t want to pull back, to scream, to run. Every part of me wanted him to take me deeper into this world I barely understood.
“Show me.” I tipped my chin up. “Show me what it opens.”
“Careful what you wish for.” Cristiano leaned down, brushing the ghost of a kiss along my temple, leaving a warning lingering in the heat of his touch. The box between us, the key inside shimmering with promise—and threat. “Christmas wishes have a way of coming true around here.”