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“Keeper?” I remember his rule and use it “I'inning to chatter It’s most likely not that cold, but my adrenaline has worn off, and the awareness ofain, he eyesif my intentions are that of what I said, and truly they are When no deception is detected, he re it to me

“Thank you,” I whisper, once I place it over s to it, manly and earthy, and the scent fills me My stomach flips, and my heart clenches

Wars instant warmth

“You need the fuel, Arabella Don’t , I glance at the delicious-sht actually makes me want some It’s been an entire day since I’ve eaten

I'e, I’ve starvedto remain thin I don’t do it to make Ferro want me or to keep him I do it for the opposite effect He thinks I don’t know about the other woive him what he wants Thehim off me

Stuck in liivein my power to make sure that never happens, I didn’t necessarily want to die, but I’ve never knohat truly livingcolorful veggies, protein, and carbs, for the first ti time, I want to consu full, not starved My keeper wants ive hi he wants So when he lifts me only momentarily to set me down on the stool he pulled out from under the lip of the counter and handsI haven’t in years

I twirl the pasta around the prongs, lift it to my mouth to blow for a moment as the scented stea the noodles between roan My eyes practically roll to the back of oodness, and I catch the twitch of his manly lips as he takes the seat across from me on the other side of the island He looks rather proud of himself, and I can’t help but soften toward hi one of his own

6

DeLuca

Once she saw e Arabella was afraid of ood But then as she watched me cook, she seemed to soften toward me Still, we sit in silence nearly the whole dinner I can tell she’s itching to berateto do toto hurt her before we came inside, I don’t entertain or let her have one moment of peace other than the food No, instead, I let the anticipation build

Arabella picks at her food after the first few huge bites, see so les with food Does this beautiful te for it to be heard, but I’m too late She drops her fork and retreats into herself

“Did did I do so?” she stutters

“Why are you starving yourself, Arabella?” I keep my eyes honed in on her

“I don’t I’ry”

“And I didn’t just capture you Do you mistakeover her as I lean forward on the table, placing e hands on the wood in front ofher shiver in her place

Whichwhen she speaks

“Aren’t you a fool? You have no idea who you have kidnapped or what hell is about to rain down on you for taking me”

And there isjust beneath the surface of her seeile persona Instantly, er She has no clue that theto threaten me with is the one who sold her out