After saying that, he wrapped his arm around the still-dazed Isadora and led her away without another word.


    In the car.


    Victor pulled a pack of cigarettes from the console, slipped one out, and twirled his lighter deftly between his fingers. The blue me flickered to life, illuminating the shadows inside the car. As if suddenly remembering something, Victor snapped the lighter shut. He tossed both the cigarette and the lighter out the window without hesitation.


    Isadora sat in the passenger seat, stealing a nce at him. His profile was all sharp angles and striking lines, eyes deep-set and intense, his jaw almost too perfectly chiseled. Whatever he was feeling, he kept it buried deep-his expression gave nothing away.


    She broke the silence. "Are you angry?"


    "Hm?"


    Victor turned his gaze to her, his eyes dark and unreadable, the blue in them deep as midnight. "Not angry."


    He was jealous.


    Without another word, Victor reached over and pulled Isadora into hisp, settling her across his thighs.


    His dark gaze locked onto her, unmoving, tracing every feature of her beautiful face. For a long moment, he simply stared, as if he could memorize her with his eyes alone.


    Then, in a voice low and rough with something like vulnerability, he murmured, "Isadora, do you think there''s any room for me in your heart?"


    She stared back at him, taking in every wless angle of his face. "Room... for you?"


    Victor ran his tongue along his back teeth, the wordsing out crisp and clear. "I want you to love me."


    Isadora froze, caught off guard.


    "I—"


    Before she could finish, Victor reached up and pressed his hand to the back of her head, pulling her into a kiss. Whatever words she''d meant to say were lost against his lips.


    "It''s okay," he breathed against her mouth. "Even if I''m the only one who loves, that''s enough for me."


    The air between them filled with a charged, intimate warmth.


    Some timeter, Victor had returned to his usualzy, almost careless demeanor, as if the man who''d just bared his soul had never existed.


    He toyed with Isadora''s delicate earlobe, his voice a low, maic whisper, "Will you stay with me tonight?"


    He grinned, teasing, "After all, I did my best to cheer you up today."


    Isadora knew he was talking about putting Preston in his ce.


    Just then, thunder rumbled in the distance. The sky outside darkened, heavy with the promise of aing storm.


    Victor nced out the window, chuckled softly, and said, "You always say you''re afraid of


    thunderstorms. Let me mal vel


    up to


    you for not being there that night."


    Isadora remembered tomorrow was her next checkup.


    Right on cue, her phone rang.


    She answered.


    Victor lowered his gaze, idly ying with her fingers, tracing each one in turn.


    Eleanor''s voice came through the line. "Isadora, you''re noting to Brocade Heights tonight, are you?"


    Feeling Victor''s touch, Isadora replied slowly, "Mom, there''s a storm."


    "Oh?" On the other end, Eleanor walked over to the window and nced out. Sure enough, the sky looked ready to open up.


    "I''ll send the driver to pick you up. It''s not safe for you to drive yourself, not in your condition."


    Victor''s hand slid to her waist,


    making her shiver just a little. Isadora quickly came up with an excuse. "No, it''s not that. Nte said she gets anxious during storms and wants me to stay with her."


    "Really? I always thought your best friend wasn''t afraid of anything."


    "I''lle home tomorrow. Just not tonight."


    "All right, sweetheart. Get some rest then."


    When the call ended, Victor''s lips, curled into a mischievous smile. "You''re being so obedient tonight. It makes me want to take extra good care of you... what am I supposed to do with you?"


    Isadora looked away. "I have my second checkup tomorrow."


    Victorughed softly. "I know you''re only staying because of that. But I''ll take what


    I can get."