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CHAPTER 1: DEREK

A cold wind howled as it whipped through the giant redwoods surrounding us The port was in sight The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the island’s ragged cliffs was clearly audible – even to less sensitive human ears

It wouldn’t be long until I’d have to watch her go I knew the risks that ca theo and I had to respect that decision It hurt that she didn’t trust h to protect her; that she chose the human lad, Ben, over o

Yet holding her infrom the kiss I claimed – perhaps even demanded – froile body flush against , soft auburn locks and her sweet scent invaded my senses No other woman had ever made me feel the way Sofia Clareht of her leaving me

Her beautiful, freckled face was buried against my shoulder as she broke down into tears for reasons I couldn’t fully understand Each sob was cutting me to the core From the corner of my eye, I saw Ben tentatively approach us He had been watching us from the ainst hers I didn’t need to look at hiht of me

I ignored him The only reason he mattered to me was because he mattered to her I didn’t even trust hih

I shifted htened aroundto her The ht choose to stay

“Sofia…” My voice came out in a husky, breathless whisper

My heart sank when she slowly pulled away frooodbye Thus, I was surprised when she laid both hands on my shoulders, stood on her tiptoes and leaned into ainst my own It propelled all my senses into overdrive and it took all of my will power to not let my passions take over I didn’t want to scare her, so I shut my eyes and let her take the lead My fists clenched when our lips parted I opened aze fixed onto memorize me

I did the sa eyelashes, every freckle, and every other detail – into my memory

Sensing how deeply she had begun toout as going through my mind I kneas selfish of me to ask it of her, but the words flooded out of uess them

“Sofia, stay”

I hoped that the words wouldn’t come across as a command, that she would know theging her – supposedly my slave – not to leave me, because I kneithout a doubt in e me deeper into the darkness that took over o when my own father turned me into the monster that I was

CHAPTER 2: SOFIA

Sofia, stay

The words took me aback as they replayed over and over in my head It almost sounded like a command and for a moment, it felt like I had no choice but to comply It wasn’t until I looked into those electric blue eyes of his that I saw the statement for what it was I bit my lip Is it possible that I really mean that much to him?

“I pro to co, trying to convince myself that he wanted me to stay for reasons that went far beyond my comprehension

His face tensed – offended – as he shook his head “It’s not about that, and you know it”

“Then what is it about?” I needed hiive me a reason to stay I wanted to hear it from his lips

He gritted his teeth and ran a hand through his dark hair Derek Novak never was very good at expressing himself in words – that much I knew about him Since the moment I first met him, there were only a few occasions I could re exactly what he was thinking It seeh his actions, and in a way, I admired him for this

He opened his , but before the words could corabbed my arm from behind

“Let’s go, Sofia”

Ben

My eyes were still fixed on Derek’s handsome face, the contrast of his blue eyes and pale skin never failing to make me catch my breath I watched as his eyes darkened into a deep, dusky blue the ers coiled around my arm I noticed the way his arm muscles flexed when his hands balled into fists

I tried to break away frorasp, but he held on fast

“We don’t have tio”

The expression on Derek’s face wasn’t giving me much reason to be confident about o when much – too ed to

Derek’s Lucas’ Ben’s It’s beyond me what I must do to make them realize that I’ to any of them

I had to intervene before a testosterone-charged battle could spark I turned to look at Ben straight in the eye