Chapter 8
Eight
ANIGHT OF VULNERABILITY
DAPHNE
Throughout the day, the internal struggle wasn't silent. It was a roar that drowned out every logical thought I clung to. I could still feel the phantom weight of Thal’s body on mine, a heavy, ghostly press against my skin that made my breath hitch in the empty elevator.
The ache in my thighs was a constant, throbbing reminder of how he’d dismantled me just hours earlier, tearing down my defenses as easily as he’d torn the silk of my dress.
Every time I breathed, I caught the scent of him, sandalwood and expensive sins, clinging to my hair and pores like a brand I couldn’t wash away.
It was more than desire. It was a betrayal that tasted of copper and honey. I thought of Zeno, the man who had kept me from the streets, who had fed and clothed me and treated me as something precious.
Zeno wanted a saint to worship in the glass cathedral he’d built for my cage. He wanted a girl who didn't know the weight of her own skin. But Thal? Thal wanted a woman who knew exactly how to bleed for him.
Under Zeno, I was a masterpiece to be viewed. Under Thal, I was a weapon to be used. And as the ache between my thighs pulsed, I realized I’d rather be used by a monster than worshiped by a ghost.
The guilt was a jagged blade in my gut, twisting with every step toward that penthouse door. If I turned back now, I could still lie. I could look Zeno in the eye and pretend my soul wasn't already stained by another man's touch. I could remain his "loyal little shadow" and die slowly in the dark.
But I didn't turn back. Returning to this penthouse was a dark compulsion. I was a masochist, walking into the fire just to see if it would finally consume me. I stood before those glass doors, my reflection looking like a stranger’s, harder, hungrier, and terrifyingly alive.
I wasn't Zeno’s ward anymore. I was a traitor who had tasted a different master, and God help me, I was starving for more.
“You're ruining yourself, Daphne,” I whispered to my reflection, but my hand was already reaching for the handle.
I was a mistake in the making, and as the door swung open, I realized I didn't want to be saved.
“Daphne, what’s going on? Come in.”
He stepped aside, and I entered.
“I’m fine,” I said, with a dismissive shrug. “Just a little tired. I stayed up very late, if you remember.”
A sexy smirk played on his lips. “Of course, I remember. How could I forget?”
He pulled me close, wrapping me in a warm, protective embrace that immediately comforted me. I leaned into him, craving that sense of comfort and soaking in his warmth.
He shifted back a little, his hands lingering on my waist with a possessive weight that made my breath hitch. He didn't ask what I wanted. Instead, he looked at me as if he were reading my very soul.
“You need a drink,” he rumbled. “Wait on the terrace. I’ll bring you something that tastes like the trouble you’re in.”
I stepped outside, the desert air cooling the fire Thal had lit in my blood. The sun was drowning beyond the horizon, bleeding gold and violet across the sky, but I couldn't appreciate the view. I was too busy listening for his footsteps, a sound that was becoming the only rhythm I cared about.
He stepped onto the terrace and handed me a chilled glass. The liquid was a deep, bruised crimson, like spilled wine in the twilight.
“Blackberry, infused with a hint of smoke,” he rumbled, his voice a dark caress. “It matches the mood you brought into my foyer. Dark, sharp, and lingering.”
I took a sip, the tartness hitting my tongue, then a slow, dark heat spreading straight to my core. It was sophisticated, lethal, and perfect. “You’re very thorough, Thal.”
He didn't smile. He stepped closer, crowding me against the terrace door until I was forced to look up at him. His thumb grazed the line of my jaw with slow, deliberate pressure.
“I like to know how things work, Daphne. My casinos, my employees, and my women. I don't believe in doing a ‘good’ job. I believe in total immersion.”
The air charged instantly, thick with tension that threatened to snap. We weren't talking about cocktails anymore. He told me he’d studied my body like a map and intended to own every coordinate.
“So, Daphne, what are you thinking? I can tell that look on your face isn’t just from our time together last night.”
I sighed, took another slow sip of my drink, and hesitated, pondering how much of my guarded thoughts I should share. In the end, I decided there was no need to hold back.
“I’ll admit, I’m finding this whole situation pretty tough,” I murmured.
“Because of Zeno?” he prompted.
“Yes, because of Zeno. I owe him my life.”
He tilted his head, studying me with a curious, evaluative look. “Do you? Your entire life? Or just your gratitude? From what I see, he earned it. But claiming you owe him everything about your future? That’s a step too far, Daphne.”
Another sigh escaped me, weary from the endless cycle of thoughts.
Part of me was drained from dwelling on everything, while another part, tangled in turmoil, desperately urged my mind to find some clarity.
I wasn’t sure if that was even possible.
I took a longer drink, hoping the alcohol would soon quiet the storm inside.
“Look,” I started. “I can’t get this out of my mind. Zeno has been my protector all these years, taking me in when I needed help. But that was a long time ago. I’m no longer a teenager searching for direction. Still, he can’t see me any other way, and honestly, it’s overwhelming.”
“Did you try talking to him about it?” he asked.
“Of course, but he appears unable or unwilling to listen to me.”
“Then, what recourse do you have, Daphne? You need to step up and take control of your life.”
I nodded, letting his words sink in.
“I know, I agree,” I said. “I keep thinking about it, but then fear takes over. I have no idea what he might do, Thal. Zeno can be very dangerous when he’s upset. When he feels betrayed, it could escalate to all-out war. And I’m terrified of what that might mean.”
“I understand why you are afraid of him, Daphne,” he said. “I suspected this was going to happen. But eventually, you will need to step out from under his shadow. You can’t keep living like this forever, can you? It seems to be consuming you from within.”
“That’s true,” I said, finishing my drink and setting the glass down on a nearby table. “Most days, I just want to run away.”
He nodded, looking over at me. His presence was comforting, and it felt reassuring to open up to him, knowing someone truly listened to my words. I had been trying to make Zeno understand for years without success.
“I’m not surprised, Daphne,” he said. “You’re a smart, strong woman.
It’s natural to want your own life. Any woman would.
There’s nothing wrong with that. What’s wrong is Zeno’s control over your life, even now.
I don’t see why he can’t recognize your true value and worth.
You could be so much more than just his pawn. ”
He reached over, grasping my hand and squeezing it before intertwining his fingers with mine. It was such a quiet, intimate gesture to hold someone’s hand. We stood like that for a few minutes without speaking, his words echoing in my mind.
Thal possessed a talent for presenting things in the simplest, most straightforward manner. His words had a way of making me feel ordinary, as if the journey I was on was one countless women had walked before me.
It was a comforting thought, a quiet reassurance that I wasn’t alone in my struggles.
Maybe he was right.
I gazed into his eyes, feeling an overwhelming flood of emotions threatening to drown me.
“It’s just a lot,” I whispered, wetness prickling the corners of my eyes.
“I know, beauty,” he rumbled, his voice less like a breeze and more like a landslide—inevitable and heavy. He wasn’t offering only comfort, but a tether.
“I don’t understand why I have to fight him to have a normal life!” I exclaimed, tears spilling over and tracing hot paths down my cheeks.
Thal reached up and brushed a stray tear away, then drew me into his arms. I curled into his embrace, craving his warmth and comfort.
“You shouldn’t have to,” he murmured into my hair.
“I never asked for any of this,” I hissed, the swirling storm of emotions rising inside me.
The anger and sense of unfairness I’d been holding back for so long all exploded like a tidal wave.
I had tried so hard to be grateful for Zeno’s help and to act as if my resentment and feelings of helplessness didn’t matter.
But deep down, I knew better. Thal’s eyes met mine steadily, seeing through the surface to what was underneath, as clear as day.
“You deserve so much more than the life he’s forced upon you,” he growled, his words filled with anger and a hint of possessiveness that both worried and excited me at the same time.
Was I just considering trading Zeno’s cage for one that belonged to Thal?
I pulled back and searched his eyes.
“Why do you care so much, Thal? Why are you so worried about what’s happening to me? Why are you trying so hard to pull me away from Zeno’s grasp?” My vision blurred further as tears streamed down my face.
Thal looked down at me, his expression softening before he responded. “You think I want to control you? Own you?”
I struggled to find my voice as I stared up at him, unsure of what to say. “I don’t know what to think,” I admitted. “But yes, the thought has crossed my mind.”
He nodded as if he understood, furrowing his brow thoughtfully. “That makes sense. It’s good you’re questioning that. I’d hate for you to end up in the same situation, just with someone else trying to control everything. Daphne, I want to set you free. Really free. I have no wish to own you.”
He paused, letting his words sink in.
“Except, of course, for what I said in bed earlier. There, you’re mine,” he added with a playful wink, and a faint smile tugged at my lips.