Chapter 24

Marley's breath hitched, a silent gasp that filled her lungs with the musty scent of old wood and desolation. The demand hung between them, insidious and menacing, and for a second, she wondered if she had heard him right. But the unwavering chill in his gaze told her she had.

"What are you doing?" Marley's hands flew to her chest, her heart thrumming beneath her fingers like a bird desperate to escape its cage. Panic frayed the edges of her composure as Dane's expression remained unreadable, a mask carved from stone.

"Marley, do as I say." Impatience crept into his tone, a low growl that brooked no argument.

Her jacket—once a barrier between them—was no match for Dane's strength. He peeled it from her shoulders with startling swiftness, leaving her feeling exposed, suddenly vulnerable under the scrutiny of his stormy eyes.