Chapter 6 The Devil's Playground

The silence in the mansion was deafening.

Sophia stood in the grand foyer, her heart still pounding from Rafael’s parting words.

"Then run, little rabbit."

The way he said it, the smug confidence laced in his voice—it made her skin crawl. He saw this as a game, but she wasn’t playing. She was fighting for her freedom.

Her gaze darted around the space. Every exit seemed sealed, the towering windows too thick, the doors guarded. She needed a plan. A way out.

Taking a slow breath, she moved forward.

The mansion was massive, each hallway lined with art, expensive furniture, and a haunting stillness that made her uneasy. It was a beautiful prison—designed to trap her without walls.

She passed a room with a roaring fireplace, the flickering glow casting golden light over deep leather chairs and bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling. It felt like a space Rafael would sit in—a king in his castle.

A shiver ran down her spine.

"I’ll make you want to stay."

She swallowed hard, pushing forward. She couldn’t let his words sink into her mind.

A grand staircase spiraled upward, leading to a long corridor. Sophia hesitated before stepping onto the plush carpet, each footstep silent.

She tried the first door. Locked.

The second. Locked.

Her pulse quickened.

She moved further down the hall, pressing her palm against a dark wooden door. This time, it gave way with a soft click.

She exhaled sharply, slipping inside.

It was a bedroom.

But not just any bedroom.

His.

Her stomach twisted as she took in the space—minimalist yet commanding, just like him. A massive bed with dark sheets, a sleek desk with neatly stacked papers, a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the ocean.

Sophia’s breath hitched as her gaze fell on a table near the bed. A small black box sat on top, half-open.

Curiosity warred with caution, but she stepped closer, peering inside.

A gun.

Her blood turned to ice.

She should back away. She should leave.

But before she could move, a voice slid through the air like silk.

“You shouldn’t be in here, piccola.”

Her entire body locked up.

She turned slowly, heart hammering against her ribs.

Rafael stood in the doorway, his broad frame bathed in shadow.

His gaze swept over her, dark and unreadable.

Sophia swallowed hard. “I—”

He moved before she could finish, crossing the room in three long strides.

Her breath caught as he stopped inches away, his presence overwhelming.

“You’re exploring,” he murmured, tilting his head. “Brave.”

Sophia lifted her chin, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I want to leave.”

His lips twitched, as if amused. “And yet you wandered into my room instead.”

Heat prickled her skin. “It was open.”

His hand shot out, gripping her chin. Not painfully—but enough to make her pulse spike.

“You were looking for something.” His voice was low, dangerous.

Sophia’s breath hitched. “No.”

His thumb brushed over her lower lip, slow and deliberate. “Liar.”

A shiver ran through her.

She tried to pull back, but his grip tightened, his fingers tilting her face up.

“You’re curious about me,” he murmured, his emerald eyes gleaming.

Sophia’s chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. “I don’t want anything from you.”

Rafael smirked. “Except freedom.”

Her stomach clenched.

He was too close. Too powerful.

And worse—he knew it.

“I could give it to you,” he whispered.

Her breath caught.

His grip softened, fingers tracing down her jaw, then lower, skimming the curve of her throat.

Sophia’s entire body went rigid. Her heart screamed at her to run, but her legs wouldn’t move.

Rafael’s gaze darkened. “Say the word, and I’ll let you go.”

Her lips parted.

It was a trick. It had to be.

And yet, for one fleeting second, she almost believed him.

Then his hand dropped, his expression shifting—calm, collected, unreadable.

“But you won’t,” he said simply.

Sophia blinked, pulse hammering. “What?”

Rafael stepped back, giving her space she didn’t know she needed. “Because I already own you, Sophia.”

Her breath came fast and shallow.

He turned, heading toward the door.

“Dinner is in an hour,” he said over his shoulder. “Don’t be late.”

Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the shadows of his world.