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She hated doing it, and that mattered more than the pain.

“Another notch, lass.”

Her mouth tightened, but she obeyed. Then she matched the second cuff to the first.

Footsteps passed outside.

Isabella froze beside me.

I reached down and laid my still-free hand on her shoulder.

“Easy.”

She went rigid beneath my palm.

We waited together until the footsteps faded.

Only then did she breathe again.

I held out my hand.

“Come here.”

She hesitated, then placed hers in mine and stood.

Her fingers disappeared inside my palm.

“I meant what I said.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.” My thumb passed over her knuckles. “When the time comes, I’ll take you with me.”

I released her hand and reached both arms behind the chair.

Every survival instinct I had rebelled against the movement.

I’d spent hours fighting those cuffs. Now I was voluntarily putting my wrists back inside them.

But Isabella had risked her life when she opened them.

It was my turn.

She moved behind me.

The first cuff clicked shut around my wrist. Then the second.

Her fingers lingered around my wrist for half a second before she pulled away.

“Too tight?”

“No. They’re fine.”

She checked both locks one last time, then came around in front of me and lifted the blindfold from where it hung on my chest.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Her eyes dropped to my mouth.