Selena returned to the drawing room as afternoon sunlight filtered through the heavy drapes in soft, muted swaths. The air was still, thick with the memory of last night’s confession and the unspoken questions that hovered between her and Alec. She settled back on the velvet chaise, curling into herself, as though seeking shelter in the familiar cushions. Her mind raced with uncertainty: Was his love as real as his fear of losing her? Or was it merely another form of cage?
The portrait of her vulnerability—the photograph of Alec with the unknown woman—still lay tucked in her pocket, burning against her thigh. She flexed her fingers around it, reminding herself that she held a secret power. He believed she was fragile, wounded by their twisted bond. But she was more than that now. She was
