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A year of , like all air had left the rooen here; I simply can’t seem to breathe in any

"Nora?" Beth’s voice soht?"

I finally e to draw in someat er sain, his gaze filled with soether with superhuman effort, I squeeze out a shaky smile "Of course Thank you for the cake, Beth"

"We wanted to surprise you," she says, her features s out as she takes my words at face value "I hope you have soht?"

The ringing in my ears intensifies "Um, yes" Despite my best attempts, my voice sounds choked "And you definitely surprisedat her "Nora and I need to be alone right now"

Beth blinks, obviously taken aback by Julian’s tone I’ve never heard him speak like that to her before Nevertheless, she obeys i up the stairs to her room

I haven’t seen Julian this angry in a while and I know I should be frightened, but at thismyself to care about what’s to co with the effort to contain the terrible stor inside me, and it’s a relief to have Beth away froe that’s building insideI’ve ever experienced before; it’s like a dam has broken and would not be contained A redin rows louder as my eht, I explode I’er rational or sane; instead I’ I can reach--the chocolate cake--and throw it across the roo everywhere My plate and cup follow, hitting the wall and shattering into aatpart of my brain realizes that it’s --but I can’t stop it any er, terror, and frustration of the past year has boiled to the surface, erupting in a lava of fierce rage

I don’t kno long I exist in that mindless state before steely ar rows hoarse, but er than ht until I coainst hi down my face

"Are you done?" he whispers in my ear, and I can hear the familiar dark note in his tone As usual, I find it both sinister and arousing, my body now conditioned to crave the pain that’s to co bliss that inevitably accompanies it

I shake my head in response to his question, but I know that I am done, that whatever it was that ca me drained and e hiaze helplessly drawn to the perfect syed with a hint of color, and there is soh he wants to devour me, to tear out my soul and shole Our eyes e of a precipice right now, that a sinkhole is opening up underneath s clearly

I ary because I’ve been ioes far, far deeper What burns me up inside is not the fact that I’ve been a captive this whole tirown to like my captivity

Over the past few rown to enjoy the cal rhythms of the island The ocean, the sand, the sun--it’s about as close to paradise as anything I can iue, impossible dream I can barely picture the faces of those I left behind; they are just blurry, shadowy figures inthatme in his hard embrace

Julian--my captor, my lover

"Why, Nora?" he asks, aling into the soft skin of my back When I don’t reply, his expression darkens further "Why?"

I re to take that last, irrevocable step I can’t bare myself to Julian like that I just can’t He’s already taken far too much from me; I can’t let hi up to twist inmy neck to bend backwards "Tellthe last shreds of my defiance My voice is like sandpaper, hoarse fro "I hate you--"

His eyes flash with blue fire "Is that right?" he whispers, leaning over ainst him "You hate me, my pet?"