Chapter 142
SAGE
Think, Sage, think!
My mind raced as | paced the room, desperate to cup with a plan. The soft splash of water from the
bathroom sent jolts of panic through me. Each sound remindedthat twas running out. He wouldn't be in
there forever, and when he cout, | had no idea what would happen next.
My eyes darted to the windows-sealed shut, reinforced with steel bars that glinted mockingly in the daylight. |
tested the hinges on the heavy wooden door, but it was locked tight, the handle cold and unyielding beneath my
grip.
Frustration gnawed at me, my breath coming in ragged gasps as | scanned every inch of the lavish room. Ornate
furniture, thick silk curtains, polished floors-everything screamed opulence but offered no help in my quest for
freedom.
| tugged at the curtains, hoping for shidden latch or weak point in the glass, but found nothing. My hands
trembled as | searched the room once more, knowing | was wasting precious time.
The water stopped.
| froze, my heart thundering in my chest. The silence from the bathroom was deafening, signaling that he was
almost done. My pulse quickened as dread curled in my stomach.
No, no, | need more time!
But it was useless. No matter how hard | tried, there was no way out. My fingers curled into fists at my mingling
with fear.
The door to the bathroom creaked open.
sides, frustration
| spun around, my breath catching as Titus stepped out, steam swirling around him like sdark, commanding
force. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and water droplets glistened on his bare chest, highlighting every
defined muscle. A towel hung loosely around his hips, but his piercing gaze was fixed solely on me.
“Looking for something, kitten?” he drawled, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
| swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand tall despite the trembling in my legs. “Just... admiring the room.”
His smirk widened as he stepped closer, the tension in the air thick enough to choke me. “Liar.”
| clenched my fists, determined not to shrink under his gaze, though every instinct screamed atto step back.
Titus moved towardwith that unhurried confidence of someone who knew he held all the power in the room -
because he did. My legs weakened as his scent drifted toward me, fresh from the shower, rich and masculine,
stirring something insidethat | fought hard to ignore.
Droplets of water clung to his silver hair, glistening in the light before trickling down his temple and along the
ridges of his chiseled chest. My throat went painfully dry as | found myself tracking the path of those droplets,
each one a reminder of just how dangerously magnetic this man was.
“You're terrible at hiding your emotions,” Titus murmured, amusement curling at the edges of his words. His
voice was smooth, with a dark undertone that made my skin prickle. He stopped just a breath away, his
presence overwhelming, soaking up all the air in the room. “I heard you pacing out here like a caged animal.”
| tried to step backwards, hoping to put a space between us but the back of my legs were caught against the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtedge of the bed. |
Chapter 142
forced myself to meet his gaze, determined to keep my expression neutral even though my heart was slamming
against my ribs. “If I'm a caged animal, that makes you the one who puthere.”
He chuckled softly, a dangerous, velvety sound that wrapped aroundlike a vice. “It is, indeed, | am. And
what are you going to do about it?” he challenged me.
| clenched my jaw, trying to find scomeback, but | couldn't find any. “I'll do everything I can just to get out
of this hell
His eyes darkened, the playful amusement in them giving way to something far more dangerous. For a brief
moment, | regretted my defiance, but I refused to back down.
“You're feisty as ever, kitten,” he said quietly, his voice soft but laced with a threat that made my pulse spike.
But that mouth of yours might need staming.”
| swallowed hard, my breath shallow. He was playing with me, toying with my fear and defiance as though both
were entertainment for him. But | couldn’t let him see just how much he was getting under my skin.
My voice, though shaky, cout steady enough. “I doubt you're man enough to handle it,” | taunted him,
hoping my words can somehow bruised his huge ego.
His lips curled into a predatory smirk. “Oh, kitten,” he murmured, stepping even closer, “you have no idea what
I'm capable of.”
On the contrary, | know exactly what he was capable of. That's why right now, I'm more afraid of what he might
do toafter what | did. It also mean that | might have a hard tgoing back to my kids without him knowing
my secret.
The air between us thickened, crackling with tension. His presence loomed over me, dangerous and intoxicating,
and | hated that a part ofwas drawn to it.
| squared my shoulders, determined to stand my ground. “How long are you going to keephere?” My voice
wavered slightly, but | pushed the tremor aside.
He tilted his head, his expression unreadable, though his eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and
authority. “For a long as it’s needed.”
The sheer finality of his words made my chest tighten. “I can’t stay here. | need to go back,” | insisted,
desperation creeping into my tone.
His gaze sharpened at my defiant plea. “Go back where?” he asked, his curiosity evident as suspicion flickered in
his eyes. | froze, my breath catching in my throat. Too late, | realized | had opened a door | wasn’t ready to walk
through. My stomach twisted as his intense stare pinnedin place, waiting for an answer | wasn’t sure | could
give.
“I...” The words tangled on my tongue, panic rising as | tried to navigate the minefield | had stumbled into. Say
nothing, Sage. Keep them safe. Don't let him find out.
Titus took a slow, deliberate step closer, his voice softer but no less commanding. “You are hiding something.”
His tone was deceptively calm, but the underlying threat was clear. He knew there was more to my story, and
now I'd given him a reason to dig deeper.
| shook my head, feigning indifference. “I-1 have no idea what you're talking about,” | denied it, hoping to steer
the conversation away from dangerous territory.
His eyes narrowed, as if he could peel back my defenses and see the truth buried beneath. “Why do | find it hard
to believe, huh?” he commented, his tone dripping with skepticism. “What are you hiding that would make you
so desperate to leave?”
2/4
Chapter 142
T-1 just don’t want to stay here. Why don’t you get it? | left because | don’t want to be with yout’ | insisted
stubbornly.
He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent chills down my spine. “Yet your body still reacts to my
touch he whispered as his hand moved inside my skin before he slowly ran his hand against my leg, it didn’t take
long before his hand settled in between my thighs, inches away from the center of my femininity.
My breath hitched at the sudden contact, my skin prickling under the weight of his touch. Every nerve in my
body screamed to resist, but my limbs betrayed me, trembling under the sheer intensity of his presence. | hated
myself for reacting, despising the heat coursing througheven as every part of my mind demanded I pull
away,
His hand lingered dangerously close to forbidden territory, his fingers grazing my skin with deliberate slowness.
The air thickened, charged with a dangerous mixture of defiance and something far more treacherous.
“See?” Titus whispered, his breath warm against my ear. “Your body doesn’t lie as easily as your mouth does,
Sage” The smugness in his tone made my blood boil.
“You're delusional,” | spat, shoving at his chest with all my strength. He barely moved, his solid fran
immovable force.
“| prefer determined,” he corrected smoothly, withdrawing his hand-but not before something cold wrapped
around my thigh.
A sharp gasp escaped my lips as |
felt the strange sensation tighten
around me. My fingers flew. tothe,
Spot, " pyheart Paded When |
tdudhe cold, unyielding metal. My
eyes widened at the sight of it—a
ring-like charm, faintly glowing with
ancient, pulsing runes. Dread washed
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“What the hell is this?” | demanded, my voice shaking with anger and disbelief.
Titus straightened, his expression
unreadable, though smug
Q . . . «
satisfaction gleamed in his eygsh
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precautigny Re ality as
thedgh placing a magical tracker on
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Panic surged throughas | clawed
at the charm, desperate to yank ipoff.
No matter how hard fulled ©
Web Tge. It felt as if it had
fused to my skin, bound by magic
stronger than any restraint. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
“Take it off,” | demanded, fury thick in my throat.
He shook his head, infuriatingly calm. “No.”
“Titus-“1 halted. “Your Majesty!”
“It's enchanted to keep you within my reach,” he interrupted smoothly, folding his arms across his broad chest.
“So don’t bother fighting it. It won't coff until | decide it does.”
His audacity made my blood boil. “You can’t just-"
“I can, and | did,” he said, his tone cold and absolute. “Consider it insurance. You're mine, Sage, whether you like
it or not.” Rage simmered beneath my skin, my fists clenching at my sides.
He tilted his head, his lips curling into a teasing smirk. “Already plotting your next escape, aren't you?” he
guessed, his voice low and amused. “Good. | like a challenge.”
| glared at him, my resolve hardening. “This isn’t over,” | ground out through clenched teeth.
His smirk deepened. “No, kitten. It’s just beginning.”
9
| clenched my fists tighter, reminding myself who he was. He was fire, and getting too close would only burn me
alive.
But the real question was, how long could | resist the flame?