Chapter fifty three
Alicia's POV
My heart hammered in my chest as Malachi's gaze met mine, intense and unyielding. I thought of Sophie. Any sound could wake her, and the servants roamed the halls at odd hours, their soft footsteps a perpetual threat. We had to remain utterly silent, our every movement calculated to avoid detection. The weight of that secrecy only heightened the thrill, making my skin tingle with anticipation.
Malachi closed the distance between us in two silent strides, his hand reaching out to trace the curve of my arm. His touch was electric, fingers pressing just hard enough to send a shiver through me.
"Are you sure about this, Alicia?" he murmured, his voice low and gravelly.
I nodded, my mouth going dry. "I want you, Malachi," I whispered. "But we have to be quiet. Sophie is just in the other room, and the servants..."
