My stomach is in knots.

I look down at the meat on my plate, knowing that if I take a single bite, it will surely not stay down for long.

Across the table, I can hear sounds of loud and incessant chewing. I do not want to look at him. The monster of my past is sitting in my home, as tangible as the food before me. My worst nightmare has come to haunt me. There are tingles running through my body, warning me to get away from him, to keep as much distance between him and me as possible.

Through a mouthful of food, he gestures at me. "Eloise, you are staring at your food as though it might eat you."

I close my eyes against the sound of his voice. This is too much. This brings back too many memories. This confirms too many of my worst fears. Why is he back? I am supposed to be at the ball... with Damon.

Is that why he has returned? Does he know? Does he have people watching me? If he knows, Damon could be in grave danger. Fear grips my heart anew and I fight to not let it show. I cannot let the monster see any weakness.

"You know, Eloise, I think often of that day." Emmanuel has a glint in his eye and I know his next words will be intended to provoke me. "I am sure you remember. The weather was beautiful, although you may have not noticed as you were rather busy sending your footman away and then sobbing into the arms of – "

"Why are you here?" I interrupt, my fists clenched, unable to hear him say anything further.

Emmanuel laughs, a booming laugh that reverberates through the room.

"Oh, Eloise. Why the pretence? You know why I am here."

There is a strange fire in his eyes, one that burns into my heart and sends flames shooting through my veins.

"All those years ago, at the railway line, you forfeited your love for the safety of his life."

"Stop talking in riddles." My palms are clammy, I am gripping onto the cutlery in my hand with such strength that my fingers are white and my heart is thrashing against my ribcage. Does he know that Damon is here?

"You know. You know exactly what I am speaking of." Emmanuel pushes his empty plate away. "Clean that up."

My first instinct is to smash the plate on his head but he has given me the perfect opportunity to put some distance between the two of us, so I stand and pick the plate, turning away from him to wash it.

"Taylor and Wilcox Incorporation."

I freeze at the casual mention of Damon's business, my heart hammering wildly.

"Your old footman has made quite a name for himself, Eloise." Emmanuel continues, his voice level, each world carefully calculated. "His name is often spoken in the business world, a lot of important people are impressed with his rise from the gutter."

"The only person risen from the gutter is you." I snarl, turning to face him. "Make your point and leave, Emmanuel, I have not the time for this idle chatter."

Emmanuel smirks, pushing his chair back and standing, before slowly prowling his way over to me. He bends slightly, so that we are eye to eye, our noses close to touching.

"How I have missed your fiery retorts." He takes a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger. "My current wife is more... submissive, shall we say. I have often missed the fun we had."

"She has birthed three of your children. Give her name some respect."

"She did her duty. A duty you refused to carry out."

"The duty was not mine. I bear that duty to one man and one man only, whom you took from me."

A muscle twitches in Emmanuel's jaw and his hand shoots upwards, wrapping around my neck. There is pressure, not enough to render me breathless but enough to assert his power. "Oh, Eloise, you are as brazen as ever. The years of solitude have not taken that from you at all. I must say, it does stir something rather animalistic within me. The tiger will always savour the chase of the deer."

"I am not the deer you seek." I meet his gaze despite my legs quivering with fear. "I will never surrender to your pitiful attempts at domination."

I fear I have pushed too far. Emmanuel's hold on my neck tightens and he uses his grip to push my head back. A breath catches in my throat.

"Let go of my mummy!"

I hear a shrill voice and then Emmanuel grunts, letting his hand slip from my neck.

I jump out of reach and look behind him to see Ella, an intense frown contorting her face, her little fists curled in balls.

Emmanuel reaches down to rub his calf. "This little imp kicked me!"

"Watch your tongue when you speak of my daughter." I reach forward to pull Ella close to me, shielding her from his probing gaze.

"Daughter?" Emmanuel's eyebrows rise. He peers down at Ella, assessing her appearance and then his eyes widen as he realises who her father must be. "So this is what you meant by bearing a duty to one man only."

"You would be correct in assuming so."

"Mummy, who is this rude man?" Ella glowers at Emmanuel, making her feelings towards him evident. She threads her fingers through mine, searching for my protection. I squeeze her hand.

"I am –"

"Just leaving." I cut in. "He was here to talk about some business, Ella, but he overstepped his mark and he was just leaving when you came in."

"To the contrary, in light of recent events, I think I may be extending my visit." Emmanuel grins, "There are some things I need clarification on."

"Which would be?"

"Your daughter's parentage." Emmanuel laughs. "Is she aware of whom her father is?"

Ella frowns. She looks up at me, her eyebrows crinkled with confusion.

"Ella, take yourself to your bedroom. Mummy will be up shortly, after this man leaves." I nod at Ella.

She looks between Emmanuel and I, then sprints from the room. The pressure in my chest is somewhat relieved now that she is not in Emmanuel's immediate grasp.

"Damon's child." Emmanuel snorts. "She looks exactly like her father."

"She does, indeed. Is there anything else you have a burning desire to say? Make your points known, your presence is tiresome and I wish to be relieved of it."

"Burning desire, you say? Prepare your guest suite. I am staying here for the night."

"Here? In my home? Whilst my daughter sleeps under the same roof? I think not."

"On the contrary, Eloise, I am. There is an alternative, of course. I find Damon and I make the move that I refrained from six years ago. I will order that a bullet be put through his temple."

Emmanuel's eyes can only be described as pools of pure hatred. His gaze tells me he is not afraid to follow through with his threat. I cannot risk denying his demand, I still do not know if he is aware of Damon's presence in this very town. What if he knows? If I say no, somebody could be on standby as we speak, waiting to kill him, waiting for the order to shoot him. Ella deserves her father's presence in her life. How could I live with myself if I am the one to take him away from her?

Emmanuel smirks, the slump in my shoulders making his victory evident.

"Oh, Eloise. Love is like wearing a shackle and you are a prisoner. With a few words, all of those big defences you put up have come crumbling down." Emmanuel chuckles, the hatred in his eyes still so prominent.

No matter what, I will keep Damon alive.