Chapter 165

The room seemed to pulse with shadows, candlelight flickering against dark wood and iron. Chloe’s breath came shallow and fast as Valerius guided her toward the looming cross in the center.

Her wrists were bound first, then her ankles, each leather strap pulled snug until she could no longer shift without feeling his control. The cold of the restraints sank into her skin, yet heat coiled low in her belly. She stood bound to the cross, her bare skin illuminated by the flickering candlelight that danced across the walls.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, each one a testament to the tension coiled within her. The restraints bit into her wrists and ankles, a constant reminder of her vulnerability and the power she had willingly surrendered. Her body, a canvas of soft curves and delicate lines, was exposed, her nipples tight buds of arousal, her skin flushed with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

Valerius stood before her, his presence commanding, his tall frame casting a long