Chapter 30 - FLAMES AND THE DEVIL'S NIGHT OUT

The estate was quiet, the storm outside long gone, leaving only the soft hum of the city lights filtering through the tall windows. Adeline sat on the edge of the velvet chaise, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. Donovan had been near all evening, shadowing her movements, his presence pressing against her like a physical weight.She couldn't sleep the previous night, tossing and turning on her bed. Thoughts of Donovan, Rory's betrayal, and her near mistakes during the last mission kept her mind racing. Every time she closed her eyes, the memory of his anger, his dark gaze, and the fire that ignited between them replayed relentlessly. She had tried to calm herself, but sleep remained elusive.Finally, he appeared in her room, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, the dark lines of his face sharper than ever under the dim light. His eyes, glittering like storm clouds, locked onto hers."Get ready," he said, his voice low and commanding, yet with an edge of mischief that made her stomach twist. "Tonight, you're mine."Adeline nodded, heart hammering. She didn't know where they were going, but she knew it would be unforgettable.They drove through the quiet streets of Milan in his sleek black car, the city lights reflecting off the polished hood. Adeline tried to settle her nerves, but every glance at Donovan made her pulse race—the way his hands gripped the steering wheel, the way his eyes occasionally flicked to hers with a dark intensity that made her breath catch.Their destination was revealed as the car turned into a private, rooftop restaurant overlooking the sparkling city. Crystal chandeliers hung under the open sky, candlelight flickering against marble tables set for only two. A soft breeze carried the scent of the city mixed with the faint perfume Donovan had worn that morning—sharp, intoxicating, dangerous.As they were seated, a waiter brought them a bottle of champagne. Donovan poured slowly, his fingers brushing hers, sending a shiver up her spine. "To us," he murmured, his lips dangerously close to her ear, his breath warm against her skin.Adeline's heart pounded, but she forced herself to speak. "To us," she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.Dinner was luxurious—lobster, truffle risotto, and delicate desserts—but Adeline could barely taste anything. Her thoughts kept drifting to Donovan, the tension between them, the way his dark eyes followed every movement of hers, as if he could see straight into her soul.Halfway through the meal, he leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek, tracing her jawline with the tip of his finger. "You're mine, Adel," he whispered, almost growling. "Do you feel that? How completely I own every part of you?""Yes," she breathed, her body responding to the intimacy, the closeness, the way he made her feel simultaneously safe and terrified.Without warning, he leaned over, capturing her lips in a deep, consuming kiss. Adeline's world narrowed further—his hands in her hair, his body tight against hers, and the mix of fear, desire, and exhilaration made her knees weak. She melted against him, matching his intensity, letting go of everything she had been holding onto.The kiss deepened, hands exploring, breaths coming in uneven gasps. It wasn't gentle; it was dark, consuming, urgent—a collision of fire and hunger. She felt herself losing track of time, losing herself in him, in the way he claimed her without words, in the way he made the world outside cease to exist.When they finally pulled back, their foreheads pressed together, both breathing heavily, Donovan's voice was barely more than a growl. "Tonight, you stay with me. No distractions. No thoughts of the past. Only us."Adeline nodded, her heart racing, body still tingling from the kiss. "I… I can do that," she whispered.He smirked, darkly pleased. "Good. Because tomorrow… I have something planned for you."Adeline looked at him, curiosity and fear mingling in equal measure. "Planned?""Yes," he said, eyes glittering with that dangerous mix of control and desire. "Tomorrow night, you and I. Outside these walls. Just you, me, and the city."The following evening, the city sparkled beneath them as Donovan led her into the rooftop restaurant once again. Candlelight danced across their faces, casting long shadows that mirrored the dangerous thrill between them. He held her hand tightly, fingers brushing, tracing small patterns that made her shiver.Dinner progressed slowly, deliberately, each course punctuated by whispered words, lingering touches, and stolen glances that carried both warning and promise. Donovan's hand never left hers, occasionally brushing her thigh, sending shivers of anticipation up her spine.After the meal, he led her to the balcony, overlooking the cityscape. "Do you see this?" he asked, his hands framing her face, holding her gaze. "This city is mine, tonight. But so are you."And then he kissed her again—slowly at first, testing her, claiming her lips with a hunger that made her knees weak. Adeline's hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, as his arms circled her waist, holding her against him. The kiss deepened, a mix of tenderness and ferocity, each touch, each brush of lips, marking her as his.When they finally parted, she gasped for air, heart racing uncontrollably. "I… I'm yours," she whispered, trembling.He smiled darkly, satisfied. "Yes. You are mine. And this… this is only the beginning, Adel. The beginning of everything."The drive back to the estate was silent but charged, both of them lost in thoughts of what had passed, and what was yet to come. Once inside, Donovan pressed her against the wall, their lips meeting again in a slow, deliberate kiss, hands exploring, claiming, marking. She trembled, gasping under the intensity, caught between fear and desire.By the time they separated, the bond between them had deepened irrevocably. Adeline realized she belonged to him—not just physically, but wholly—and that in this dangerous, dark world of power, blood, and desire, there was no place she would rather be.