The Price She Paid: Shadow & Bone (Book 2)

Chapter 4: Aleksander.

.

.

.

.

.

"Evelynn."

I knew I was somewhere else, without even opening my eyes. I was somewhere far away, somewhere I had been before, somewhere wrong.

I opened my eyes, taking my time to take in my surroundings. I was back in Aleksander's study, the same place I had been when he had told me he loved me.

Nothing had changed, everything was exactly as it had been. I looked down and saw even my dress was the same. I ran my fingers over the soft silk, surprised at how real it felt.

"I've been waiting for you, Evelynn."

I lifted my gaze and saw Aleksander. He was standing across the room from me on the other side of a large table.

I pushed the memories from my head, refusing to let myself get lost in the past.

"What do you want, Aleksander?"

"I want what I've always wanted." He placed his hands on the table, leaning forward to hold my gaze from across the room. "You, by my side, as it were meant to be."

"That will never happen."

"Our fates are intertwined, Evelynn. You can't run from me, you can't run from this."

I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing myself to stay cold and aloof.

"Watch me."

"No matter how fast or far you run, you will come to accept that it's you and me."

I held my ground, refusing to even indulge him with a response.

"I know how you feel when you see Alina with the tracker. The loneliness that eats at you. It will only grow."

I looked back at him, startled that he knew so much.

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't I?"

He made his way around the table, taking his time as he moved towards me. Against my better judgement I let him get closer.

He stopped directly in front of me, any closer and we'd be touching. He leaned towards me, closing the space between us as he reached up to tuck a stray curl behind my ear.

"I know you, Evelynn."

His lips brushed against the shell of my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"You still love me; you still want me. You hate yourself for it but it's the truth. I was inside of you, I tasted you, you belonged to me, and you still do and that is the truth that you will never escape, no matter how far you run."

He pressed his mouth against mine, silencing my protests before I could make them. He pushed me back into the table, his arms keeping me trapped against him.

He kissed me hungrily, as if he couldn't control his actions. I wanted to pull away, I wanted to tell him to stop but I couldn't bring myself to do either.

I gave into the kiss, letting him take control. His hands roamed over my body, they locked around my waist, and he hoisted me onto the table without a moments of hesitation. He moved between my legs, reaching back to undue the buttons of my dress.

I leaned into him, gasping as his hands tore the top of my dress into two. The fabric bunched up at my waist, leaving me in my corset.

He pulled away and his mouth found the sensitive skin on my neck.