Page 92 of A Deal in Darkness
“Kneel, baby.”
I whimper, and his touch is like a balm that cools the burn tearing through my soul. He’s easing me into this and my knees want to give way while my head screams I need to fight him.
“I have a gift for you,” he whispers in a tone of pure seduction. “I was going to give it to you the night we were attacked. It’s special, truly special—as is this evening. Kneel for me, Adriana.”
My resistance breaks and I sink beneath him, finding comfort in a position I despise. I’m released from whatever burden I’ve been carrying and the noise quietens as everything stills, and I find a peace I didn’t know I craved.
I lift my head, and Enzo holds an ornate box before me. It’s pure gold with intricate patterns and the design is intricate,delicate, and magnificent. The metal catches the sunlight's colors reflecting from the water as the blossom falls around us, creating a magical backdrop in a moment where time has no meaning.
“Open it, Adriana.”
My fingers grasp the lock and lift the catch, freeing it before I pry the lid open. The inside is lined with blood red velvet and the jewelry inside the box is even more spectacular than its exterior. I stare in a daze, seeing the huge emeralds and sapphires sunk between the intricate gold design but struggling to understand what I’m being offered.
“It’s stunning.”
“It’s a collar, sweet girl. My collar. I want you to wear it. For me. You belong to me and I want everyone to know it.” Enzo’s tone is just as seductive and just as easy as before, but now it’s deeper, darker and much more dangerous. “Mortals cannot see it unless I allow them to, baby.”
I stare at the collar and the reality of what he’s asking crashes down around me. My heart accelerates as adrenaline pours into my system and the edges of my vision darken, leaving me staring at the ornate jewelry that threatens everything I thought I knew.
It’s too much to ask of me. It’s something I wouldn’t ever want and couldn’t tolerate. It’s another despicable thing, and yet I’m drawn to the collar. His collar.
And I want it.
Heaven help me, I want to wear it.
I’m excited by the thought of this and my mind finds many justifications for my reaction. I convince myself this is what demons think of as a token of affection, akin to an expensivenecklace—or that this is Enzo’s way of keeping me safe. I persuade myself it’s only temporary, and I can change my mind if I decide I don’t like this game. I talk myself into believing this is normal, that this is just a token of affection given from one lover to another.
“What is it, Lorenzo?” I ask, my voice trembling. “What is it really?”
“My collar,” he replies. “My claim of ownership. My protection and a token of my esteem for you. A demonstration that I place you above all others, now and until we part. This collar has not been worn in several millennia and I give it to you because you are worthy of this, Adriana. Worthy of being mine and having all I can give you.”
Enzo lifts the metal from its box, opening it as he moves it closer to my neck.
“Lift your hair, baby. It’ll fit perfectly.”
My body stills and the voices of dissent fall quiet.
All I hear is desire. All I want is this. All I know is that I don’t want to fight him on this. I want to surrender.
The metal glides over my neck and Enzo’s hands wrap around it, closing the choker in place. It’s cold but warms as it rests against my skin, sitting as if it were made for me. Heat builds and sparks dance across me as the wind blows through my hair and the world changes.
Its colors are more vibrant, its sounds more startling. The shapes are more defined and I see shadows of things that are, that might be and will never come to pass.
Enzo steps back and the gold overwhelms his irises, flooding them with the light of the stars above us. His lips part and his nostrils flare as he stares down at me in wonder,entranced and in my thrall, possessed by the sight of me in his collar.
I trail a finger over the metal and trace its pattern to the back, reaching for the clasp. I fiddle with it and can’t find a release. My hands pull at the collar and it doesn’t give an inch, staying in place with a rigidity it lacked moments ago.
“I can’t get it off.”
I’m panicking and Enzo lifts my chin with his thumb.
“Don’t play with it, baby. It doesn’t come off, Adriana.” His jaw ticks and he looks sad. “Not until I decide it does, and I’ve made my intentions clear. You are mine for all eternity and you will wear my collar to prove it.”
27
NEVER ENOUGH
ENZO
