Prologue

Gabriel carefully aligned his gun with the target in front of him. He wore his ear covers and eye shield as he took a deep breath, steadying his aim. Then, he gently pulled the trigger.

A loud shot echoed through the air—and it hit the mark perfectly.

“Bull’s-eye,” he said with a cold smile before walking slowly toward the direction of his target. Standing nearby was a woman—helpless, vulnerable. Her hands were tied, her eyes covered with a blindfold, and a cloth pressed against her mouth to keep her from making noise.

Gabriel stopped in front of her. He gently touched her damp face, breathing her in, brushing his thumb across her skin with an unsettling calm.

“I’m craving more of you,” he murmured in a deep, quiet voice, letting his fingers trail across her cheek. The woman shivered, uncertain if it was from fear or the coldness in his tone.

“Easy, darling... I’ll take you somewhere only I can,” he said, then reached up and plucked the apple from her head. A small hole pierced through it—proof of his perfect aim.

“You’re mine now,” he whispered, almost too gently for the words he said.

He slowly removed the blindfold and the cloth from her mouth. As her face came into view, Gabriel froze for a moment. Her delicate features, her soft expression—she was breathtaking.

“My queen…” he whispered again, as if lost in a trance. He leaned down and kissed her—deeply and possessively—his hands resting at her back. Her body tensed, but she didn’t pull away.

“Love me, Reina. Please… love me,” Gabriel said. His voice, once commanding, now trembled slightly with desperation.

Outside, the world was silent. But in that dark, locked room, two people danced on the edge of pain and love—danger and desire. And Reina, once a woman of God, now faced a future tied to a man who could destroy her… or protect her from everything else.

Her breaths grew heavier, not just from fear—but from the confusion rising within her chest. How could she feel anything but hatred toward a man who had taken away her freedom? And yet, why did her body warm under his touch, why did her heart ache in a way she couldn't name?

Gabriel gently brushed his knuckles along her jawline. His expression had softened—just a little—and for a fleeting second, Reina saw something flicker in his eyes. Was it regret? Or love pretending to be kindness?

“I know I scare you,” Gabriel said quietly. “But I won’t let anyone else have you. I never will.”

Reina looked up at him, still trembling, her heart thudding in her chest like a war drum. “You took everything from me,” she whispered. “My life. My vows. My peace.”

He cupped her face gently. “Then let me give you something back,” he said. “A new life… even if it’s a dark one.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Do I have a choice?”

Gabriel didn’t answer. Instead, he held her close—tight enough to promise safety, but never loose enough to offer freedom.

And in that embrace, Reina realized: sometimes, the scariest prisons are the ones built from longing.

She closed her eyes, letting her tears fall silently, not knowing if they were tears of surrender… or the beginning of something even more dangerous.

Then, in one swift motion, he lifted her off the ground and carried her to the bed. He gently placed her down, but his intense gaze never left her. Her legs trembled beneath her gown, her breaths uneven. He couldn’t take his eyes off her—every part of her belonged to him in his mind.

He sat beside her, brushed her hair away from her face, and cupped her cheek firmly.

“You belong to me. Remember that,” he said in a low growl. “You were born to be mine.”

Reina didn’t say a word. Tears welled in her eyes. Deep inside, she knew—there was no escaping this man. No matter how gentle he pretended to be, his eyes held a darkness she couldn’t ignore.

Gabriel reached for the blindfold again and gently covered her eyes once more. Reina’s heartbeat quickened—her fear growing. She couldn’t see anything, but she could feel the presence of Gabriel leaning closer.

Then something unexpected touched her hand—something cool and metallic. It vibrated slightly, making her flinch.

“A little reminder that I control your senses,” Gabriel said with a whisper near her ear.

She gasped at the strange sensation but couldn’t move—her hands were still tied.

She bit her lip to hold back a sound. Her body felt weak. She tried to remember what happened before she ended up here, but all she recalled was drinking a glass of orange juice. She didn’t know how she lost her strength or how she ended up under Gabriel’s complete control.

Suddenly, she felt his breath near her skin—then his lips. She cried out softly, her voice filled with confusion and emotion.

“Gabriel…” she whispered, unsure of what to feel.

He responded by pressing closer, brushing her ear with his lips. "Say my name," he commanded.

“Gabriel...” she repeated, her voice trembling.

Still blindfolded, she spoke again. “I want to see your face while… while you claim me.”

He paused, then slowly removed the cloth from her eyes. She blinked and finally saw him—bare, raw, and unashamed of his intentions. His expression was filled with desire but also a strange, dangerous love.

She swallowed hard. Reina had never seen a man this way before. She was a former nun, someone who once gave her life to God. But now, her world had turned upside down because of one choice—one man.

Gabriel looked at her deeply. “Are you ready?”

His voice was serious but not loud. He gently ran a hand through her hair, keeping his other hand resting on her trembling arm. He didn’t rush. Instead, he waited, watching her eyes carefully.

Reina turned her face slightly. “I don’t know… but I trust you,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

Gabriel’s features softened. For the first time that night, he seemed unsure. But then he nodded slowly.

“I’ll be gentle,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

He leaned in once more and kissed her, not with force—but with a quiet, possessive longing.

Outside, the world was silent. But in that dark, locked room, two people danced on the edge of pain and love—danger and desire. And Reina, once a woman of God, now faced a future tied to a man who could destroy her… or protect her from everything else.