Daniel’s POVThe room was saturated. The air was a thick, humid weight of musk, sweat, and the fading scent of Felix’s tobacco. I stood at the edge of the shadows, watching the rise and fall of Eden’s back. She was a map of our family’s greed—bruised, marked, and glistening under the amber lamps. Felix had left her on all fours, trembling, her head hanging low as she gasped for air that was too heavy to breathe.I set my glass down. The ice didn't even clink; the condensation had made it silent. I stripped the silk from my shoulders, letting it pool on the floor, and stepped into the light. I wasn't the Prince, and I wasn't the Butcher. I was the one who had maintained her. I was the one who had calculated her value from the moment she was born, and tonight, I was the one who would seal the Pact."Look at me, Eden," I said. My voice wasn't a roar; it was a cold, iron command.She didn't move fast enough. I reached out, my hand tangling in her sweat-dampened hair, and hauled her head b
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