“Get in the car, now!” Alexander yells, his voice hoarse, panic edging his words. His arm, still bleeding from the gunshot wound, presses against his side as he staggers toward the car, the car door already open, the engine roaring in anticipation. His voice cracks, but there’s no time to explain. The fear in his eyes is enough to make Elena’s heart race.
“Alexander, you’re hurt—” Elena begins, but she’s interrupted by a cold, familiar voice that sends a chill straight to her bones.
“Not so fast, Elena.”
Elena freezes.
She doesn’t need to turn around to know who it is. She can feel it, the dark presence, the weight of Rafael’s gaze burning into her back. Slowly, she turns, and there he stands. Tall, imposing, and infuriatingly calm, like he’s always been in control.
“Rafael…” Elena’s voice is barely a whisper, but it’s filled with everything she’s been feeling—fear, frustration, and a sliver of anger.
Before she can take another step, Rafael is on her, grabbing her arm with a grip so tight it feels like he’s crushing her bones. He pulls her away from the car, his fingers digging into her skin as he drags her back toward him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he growls, his face inches from hers. His breath is hot against her face, and there’s something cold in his eyes—something predatory. “Did you really think you could run away from me?”
Elena struggles, trying to free herself from his grip, but he’s too strong. “Let me go, Rafael!” she shouts, her voice breaking. “You don’t control me anymore!”
But he only smiles, a twisted, almost sadistic smile. “I still do, Elena. I always will.”
He pulls her closer, pinning her against the side of the car, and the cold metal of the door presses against her back, making her shiver. She tries to move, tries to fight back, but the fear starts to creep in again. Rafael is too powerful. His influence is suffocating.
“I was willing to let you go once,” he continues, his voice dangerously calm, “but not anymore. I’ve spent too much time, too much effort on you to let you slip away now.”
Her breath catches in her throat. “You’re insane,” she spits, trying to shove him away, but it’s useless. “You’ll never have me. I’ll never be yours.”
For a moment, Rafael’s face flickers with anger, but he quickly controls it. His eyes flash with something darker, something crueler. He leans in, his face just inches from hers, his lips brushing her ear as he whispers, “If I can’t have you, neither can he.”