CHAPTER 11 The Look That Burned
Lina
"Sire…" I whispered, my voice barely louder than a breath. It sounded strange coming out of my mouth. Like I was saying a word that didn't belong to me.
I couldn't move. My feet were stuck to the cold, shiny marble floor. The chill sank through the thin soles of my borrowed shoes and crawled up my legs. My hands stayed stiff at my sides, fingers clenched into fists so tight I could feel my nails digging into my palms. My heart thumped in my chest, not from nerves or excitement, but from fear. A quiet, sick fear that twisted in my stomach like a snake curling up inside me.
What were they asking me to do?
I just got here yesterday. Everything had happened so fast, I hadn't even had time to think. I came here because I needed the job. I needed money for my family back in the small town. I thought I'd be cleaning, running errands—not standing here like some object for them to look at. The thought made my skin crawl.
I tried to take a step forward, but something heavy sat in my chest. Like a hand was pushing me down, holding me still. My voice came out again, cracked and shaky, but I forced the words out.
"Sire, with all due respect," I started, trying to keep my tone steady, "I came here to work… as a cleaner or an errand girl for Mr Kade. That's what the agency told my father. Why am I being asked to turn around like—like a thing?"
The words burned as I said them. I didn't want to sound weak, but my voice wavered anyway.
I looked straight at Kade, hoping he would explain. He said last night that we'd talk today—about my pay, my duties, the job. Not this. Not whatever this mess was.
But Kade didn't say a word. He rolled his eyes like I was annoying him. That small, cold gesture stung more than anything. His face was blank, hard like stone. No emotion at all.
He reached for the wine bottle on the table. Pour it slowly into a big glass. Some spilled over the side and dripped down the wood, leaving a dark red stain. But he didn't seem to care. He didn't even look at me.
"Hmmm," he mumbled. Just that one sound. Like I wasn't even worth his full sentence.
That sound echoed in my ears. It made my skin crawl. My knees wobbled. I nearly fell.
Then another voice spoke, the same voice. But it was colder. Sharper. A smooth voice that still felt like a knife in the dark.
"Turn. We'd like to see."
What?
My head snapped toward the voice. Lucian. Kade's friend or guard or something worse. He was leaning back in his chair, a lazy smirk on his face. His eyes were full of amusement, like this whole thing was a game to him. He looked at me like I was a joke, something he could play with and then toss aside.
I swallowed, my throat dry like sand. My fists clenched tighter. I could feel my nails cutting into my skin now. My teeth ground together, holding back a scream.
This wasn't right.
This wasn't what I agreed to.
"Mr. Kade," I said again, softer this time. "My father told me an agency contacted him. They said the job was as a household worker. I don't think this is part of that. This is… it's disrespectful."
My voice cracked again. That last word almost choked me.
I still hoped, somewhere deep inside, that this was just a bad joke. A test, maybe. Something stupid they did to new staff. But my hope was fading fast.
And then Kade stood up.
He didn't yell. He didn't raise his hand. But the moment he moved, everything in the room changed. The air got heavy. The shadows got deeper. Even the sun outside felt like it went dim.
He was huge. Taller than I remembered from last night. Maybe it was the way he moved—slow, powerful, like he didn't need to rush because he knew he already had control.
He dropped the wine glass on the table. It clinked gently, but the sound made me flinch. He didn't say anything right away. He just stood there, watching me.
"You were asked to turn," he said finally. His voice was low. Too low. It didn't even sound human. It didn't just go in my ears—it went straight into my bones. "Let us see. You don't talk back. Not here. Not to me."
I stepped back, just a little. My heart was going wild in my chest. My body screamed at me to run. But I couldn't move. Fear locked me in place.
Why were they doing this to me?
Why were they looking at me like I wasn't even a person?
I bit my tongue, hard. I wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of them.
But I could feel their eyes—Kade's, dark and heavy like fire pressing into my skin. Lucian's, sharp and cutting. They were both staring at me like I was nothing.
And I didn't move.
I didn't turn.
I stayed still, frozen in place, even though my whole body was shaking.
Kade started walking toward me. Slowly. Calmly. Each step was quiet, but it hit like thunder. He didn't rush. He didn't need to. He knew I had nowhere to go.
He looked like a shadow came alive. Like he was made of darkness, moving through the light like it belonged to him.
I stepped back again—my back hit the wall.
Nowhere left to go.
He kept coming. Closer. Closer.
I could feel the heat of him, even through the cold. I could smell the wine on his breath, mixed with something darker. Power. Anger.
He stopped just inches in front of me.
And then he leaned down.
His voice dropped to a whisper. But it felt like it was crawling under my skin.
"You want to turn around," he said, "or should I do it for you?"
His voice was terrifyingly soft. Like a warning just before the world ends.
Veins stood out on his neck, pulsing hard. His whole body looked like it was holding back some wild, angry beast. The air around us seemed to shake with it.
I wanted to scream.