Chapter 25 · Vivian's Second Line

Lucien's standing three feet away and I can see the pulse in his throat.

I mean I can actually see it. The skin moves. I've never noticed before because I've never needed to think about where to bite.

"You're staring," he says.

"Vivian said to make Marek say the second line." My voice comes out flat. "I don't even know what the first line is."

Lucien leans back against the kitchen island. We're in his penthouse still. Marek's people left twenty minutes ago and the contract on my wrist hasn't stopped burning since. It's Marek's name in the ink now. Not Lucien's.

"The first line is what he already did," Lucien says. "He took the bond by force. Overrode my claim."

"And the second line?"

"The second line is when you take it back."

I wait. He's not moving. Just watching me with that look he gets when he's deciding how much to say.

"From him?" I ask.

"From me."

Oh.

Oh no.

"You want me to—" I can't even finish it. My hand goes to my neck. The two marks are still there from the first week. They never healed. He said that was normal.