Chapter 204
CHAPTER 10
Isla barely had time to register Graham’s presence before he stepped
inside, the door closing sharply behind him. The small space of the
entryway seemed to shrink with his towering presence, his storm-
dark eyes boring into her with such intensity that she stumbled
backward.
Her heart pounded as she twisted the frayed edge of her apron
between trembling fingers. The worn fabric felt like the only anchor
keeping her upright. For a moment, she dared to look at him–just a
fleeting glance–before her gaze darted back down to the floor, where
her bare feet shifted nervously against the scuffed wooden boards.
This is absurd, she thought. She had been planning to go back to him
anyway, to swallow her pride and beg for a second chance. And yet,
now that he was here–so close and so angry–her legs felt like lead, and her throat had closed up tight.
She wasn’t guilty of anything, she reminded herself. She hadn’t stolen from him, hadn’t done anything wrong. If anything, she’d left his home so she wouldn’t be a burden. After all, they weren’t related by blood. She owed him nothing.
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Chapter 204
And yet…
She dared another glance upward, her eyes betraying her by lingering
far too long. They drifted from his polished leather boots, shining
even in the dim light, up the perfect line of his tailored black
trousers, and paused on his chest–broad and unmistakably muscular
beneath his dark shirt. It was maddening, the way her gaze stuck
there as if her brain had short–circuited.
“Are you done glaring at my chest?” His voice sliced through the
silence like a blade, deep and laced with barely controlled anger. Isla
flinched, heat rushing to her cheeks. “Or would you mind explaining
why the hell you’re here–working as a maid, if that apron and your
bare feet are any indication–while I’ve been losing my mind looking
for you?”
His words hit her like a physical blow.
“I’ve spent two weeks wondering if today would be the day the police
would find your body dumped in some ditch,” he continued, his voice
tight. “Dead.”
He stepped closer, his towering form crowding her personal space,
and Isla took another instinctive step back. He bent slightly, leveling
his face with hers, his furious eyes pinning her in place. “Do you even
realize what you’ve done?”
Chapter 204
The fire in his gaze made her want to shrink, to curl in on herself like
a leaf touched too harshly. She had never seen anyone this angry—
not him, not anyone.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. How could she explain? How could she put into words the grief, the desperation, and the pride that
had led her to leave that night?
Graham must have seen the turmoil in her face because his tone
softened just a fraction. “Why, Isla? Why would you run away like
this? I know you were grieving. I was too. But why leave home? Why vanish without a word, in the middle of the night, like some
criminal?”
Her eyes filled with tears, her vision blurring as his words cut deeper than she expected. Before she could look away, he gripped her chin- not roughly, but firmly–and tilted her face up to meet his gaze.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you,” he said, though his tone had gentled, his fingers light against her skin. This time, his touch burned in a different way, sending an unsettling heat through her.
Her tears began to spill, the first drops streaking down her cheeks before she could stop them. Graham’s brows drew together, his
expression shifting into something far softer, something she wasn’t
prepared to see.
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Chapter 204
“What happened?” he asked again, his voice quieter now, tinged with
sadness.
Before she could form a reply, he closed the gap between them and
pulled her into his arms. The suddenness of it took her breath away,
and for a moment, she froze, stunned. His arms wrapped tightly
around her, anchoring her in place as the steady thud of his heart
filled her ears.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
