MasukElodie’s POVHorses.Trasto.Tras…Little Red."…needs to rest…"The voices grew fainter. The images behind my eyelids slowly faded until my thoughts began to blend with the sounds around me.I tried to open my eyes, but they felt too heavy.My head throbbed, and a dull ache spread through my body. I shifted slightly and immediately regretted it when pain shot through my ankle.A small groan escaped my lips.The voices suddenly became clearer.“She’s waking up,” someone said.My brows pulled together. Who were they talking about? Then I remembered—the barn, Trasto, the raised hoof, and the pain.My eyes flew open instantly. A white ceiling greeted me. My chest rose and fell too painfully, and I winced with every movement.I turned my head slowly. The room looked unfamiliar for a second. Then I noticed the large bed beneath me, the expensive curtains, and the dark wooden furniture.The guest room of Rodrigo’s house. I was still here.A doctor stood beside the bed, packing a few things
Elodie's POV I stepped out of my room, pulling the cotton robe tighter around myself.The hallway was quiet. Most of the house still seemed asleep, and the soft morning light coming through the tall windows made everything look calmer than it really was.I slipped my feet into my slippers, taking a deep breath before heading downstairs. A guard was already waiting for me near the entrance, just as Marisela had promised. Beside him stood a man wearing a brown jacket and muddy boots. He looked like one of the workers who cared for the horses.“Good morning, Miss,” the guard said, his face in a straight frown that seemed to be permanently part of his features. "The Madam asked that I accompany you to the barn."I nodded then turned to look at the other man. His expression was the opposite of the guard. A welcoming smile stayed on his face and he greeted me. "I am the groom, Lopez."I smiled. "I'm El—" My eyes slightly widened at my slip, my lips still apart. I'd almost told them my na
Valiente's POVMy head was pounding, severely. I peeled my eyes open slowly, immediately regretting it.The room spun for a few seconds before settling. I groaned and pressed a hand against my forehead, fingers digging into my temple like I could crush the pain out through bone.Fuck.My mouth and throat were dry, my body felt heavy, and my head throbbed with every heartbeat. I couldn't remember the last time I'd drunk that much.Pieces of last night started coming back, and my eyes closed again.Little Red.I remembered walking into her room. She stood there in that thin, silky nightgown that showed the prints of her nipples and her pale neck.The look in those green eyes of hers when she saw me was... something I couldn't describe.My jaw ticked at the memory. Even hungover and wrecked, the image of her sharpened faster than anything else in my skull.And then I remembered kissing her.My jaw tightened. I had no idea what had come over me. One second, I was standing there, and the n
Elodie’s POVThe next morning came before I was ready for it.I had been awake long before the sun came up, sitting by the window and staring through the glass like a lonely damsel trapped in a tower, waiting for a prince to come save her.A small scoff left me.As if anyone were coming to save me.The figures moving around the estate began to blur as my mind drifted back to last night.My eyes fluttered shut.I remembered the warmth of Valiente’s lips against mine. The way he had pulled me closer. The low sound of his voice against my skin. The way my fingers had tangled in his hair before I even realized what I was doing.My cheeks warmed. Stop.I opened my eyes and stared outside again.He was trouble, and I knew it. He should have been the last person I fantasized about. Yet somehow, he had found his way into my thoughts anyway.A soft knock came at the door.I sighed and slowly turned away from the window. “Come in.”The door opened, and Marisela stepped inside. She wore a soft s
Elodie's POV Maybe I was letting Bianca’s words cloud my judgment. Maybe I really wanted to experience it for myself.Lady’s man? How good was he to make women want him so badly? Was he better than Colin?Or maybe it was the strong scent of alcohol surrounding him, making it harder for me to think clearly.Either way, I let his hand slide from my lower back until it caught my butt. His lips left mine, trailing slowly down my neck and sending fresh waves of anticipation through me.A low groan escaped him.My eyes widened.What the hell was I doing? Why was I letting him touch me? Why wasn’t I pushing him away?His lips brushed my collar, his body holding mine tightly, but suddenly Bianca’s words didn’t sound nearly as tempting anymore.Because this was Valiente.The man who had taken me from Hawaii. The man who had terrified me at the hunt. The man I’d spent days wishing I could escape from.This wasn’t some fantasy. He was my captor and a manipulator.I pushed against his chest, har
Elodie's POV My body moved restlessly on the bed, twisting without settling as my mind wandered to thoughts I shouldn’t be thinking about.I held the sheets closer to my chest, my fingers digging into the edge as I struggled to find sleep.I’d come back to the guest room over an hour ago, but Bianca’s words never seemed to fade.Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined Valiente’s hot body against my bare skin. I imagined him whispering dirty words into my ear. I imagined him doing things to me that he’d done to other girls.My left hand snaked beneath the sheets, trailing slowly over my body until it reached underneath my silk nightgown.My eyes were shut, my lips pressed together.'He’s the kind of man women dream about when they’re alone in their beds…'Bianca’s words rushed into my mind again, hitting me roughly like a wave.My fingers pressed against my clit through my underwear. Slowly, I circled it. A sharp gasp slipped through my lips. My toes curled, and my knees bent.I didn’
Elodie's POVI stayed frozen, clutching the blanket to my chest. My heart was pounding so fast I thought I’d pass out. The man turned his eyes to me then. For a second, I couldn’t tell if he was another monster or if I’d just been saved by one.He exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead as if trying
Elodie's POVI started gently, rubbing my palms over my face, stomach, and hips. I shouldn't be here. I should have never agreed to this trip.I increased the pace, scrubbing my skin, my nails leaving red lines on my body. But that didn't stop me, I went crazy. I started screaming, working faster,
Elodie's POVThey say one’s instinct is never wrong, and I should have listened to mine. That gut feeling that twisted my stomach the moment Colin showed me those tickets for this trip, that terrible nightmare I had that night—it was right. I was right to feel that way.The first thing I felt was t
Elodie's POV I felt a sharp sting on my skin, followed by a low buzz from the tattoo gun. The needle pierced through the flesh of my lower abdomen, digging deep. Finally reacting, I twisted on the bed. Wrong move. Because she pressed my thighs apart, hard, and a sob tore out of me. I shouldn't l







