TORTURE

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Chapter Twenty-Five

Jason clenched and unclenched his fists under the table, the torturous, melodic voice of Seline stirring a storm within him. He could still recall the way she felt in his arms that night—soft, willing, and dangerously intoxicating. Thank goodness he had fallen asleep. God knows how far he might have gotten.

His gaze flicked toward her across the dining table. She was grinning at Lucas, her laughter light and effortless. And then, as if sensing his scrutiny, she turned and met his eyes. There was something in her expression—something knowing, teasing. Jason felt his jaw tighten, his pulse quicken. When she leaned closer to Lucas and murmured something, her lips moving slowly, deliberately, it was almost too much. The sight of it aroused something primal in him, something he fought hard to suppress.

She was beautiful. Too beautiful. He hated admitting it, but denying it did nothing to change the truth. His feelings for her—unwanted, intrusive—were getting harder to ignore. And he needed to. He had to.

"Jason," Lucas's voice broke through his thoughts, dragging him back to the present. "Why aren't you eating?"

Jason exhaled slowly, pushing his plate away. "I'm not hungry." His voice was curt, clipped. He couldn't trust himself to say more. If he stayed here any longer, watching her, feeling this… this pull, he might do something reckless.

Rising abruptly from the table, he forced himself to maintain an air of control. "Once you're done with your meal, take Seline upstairs," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. He didn't wait for a response, striding out of the dining room with long, determined strides. He needed to clear his head—badly—or else.

As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he heard the soft, deliberate sound of footsteps behind him.

"You don't have to lock me up, Jason."

He froze.

Seline's voice, velvety and laced with something he couldn't quite place, curled around him like smoke. "I have no intention nor a chance of escaping," she added.

He turned slowly, his gaze locking onto hers. The way his name rolled off her lips was intoxicating, dangerous. He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. God, he needed help—needed to think straight. Every moment with her felt like a losing battle.

"You don't get to decide that," he said coolly, his voice betraying none of the inner chaos she stirred within him.

Her lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "Of course not."

Jason clenched his jaw and turned away before she could see the cracks in his armor. "Lucas, you know what to do," he said without looking back, his tone sharp with unspoken meaning. Lucas nodded, understanding the silent command.

Seline watched him retreat, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "You can't keep running forever, Jason," she murmured under her breath.

He heard

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Upstairs, in the dimly lit hallway, Jason paced restlessly, running a hand through his hair. The frustration coiled tightly in his chest, knotting with something darker—something he didn't want to name. The image of her, sitting there in that emerald-green dress, laughing softly, her eyes filled with challenge, haunted him.

He had to get her out of his head.

Pushing open the door to his study, he poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swirling hypnotically in the glass. He took a long sip, hoping the burn would drive away thoughts of her, of how close he'd come to losing control.

But it didn't.

Instead, her voice whispered through his mind, taunting him, tempting him. He slammed the glass down onto the desk with a frustrated growl.

This was a dangerous game.

And Jason wasn't sure how much longer he could play it without losing.

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Meanwhile, upstairs in the lavish bedroom, Seline sat by the window, gazing out into the darkened gardens below. Lucas stood nearby, ever the watchful guardian, though his expression was softer than usual.

"You don't have to keep me here, you know," she said softly, tracing idle patterns on the frosted glass.

Lucas chuckled lightly, leaning against the wall. "You think I have a choice?"

She turned to face him fully, her lips curving slightly. "He trusts you, doesn't he?"

Lucas sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "Trust is... complicated with Jason."

Seline's expression softened. "He's afraid," she murmured. "Afraid of wanting something he shouldn't."

Lucas studied her for a long moment before shaking his head with a half-smile. "You're trouble, you know that?"

Seline smirked, leaning back against the chair. "I've been told."

Despite himself, Lucas laughed. "Just... don't push him too hard, Seline."

She arched a brow. "Why? Afraid he might finally give in?"

Lucas's expression darkened slightly. "Afraid of what happens if he does."

Their eyes met in the quiet tension that followed, and for the first time in a while, Seline felt something close to understanding.

Jason wasn't the only one trapped in this dangerous web of emotions. They all were.

And sooner or later, something had to give.

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