The air between them crackled with unspoken desire, every word they exchanged laced with something heavier than mere conversation. Ana couldn't escape the feeling that she was walking closer and closer to the edge, and Hayden was the wind pushing her to fall.
She had tried to ignore him after that night at his penthouse. She had told herself that the attraction she felt was a byproduct of his dominance, a consequence of the way he controlled every room he entered, every person in his life.
But the truth was, it was much more than that.
He had *marked* her. In ways she hadn't fully understood yet, he had taken something from her, something that hadn't existed until he made her aware of it—the need to submit, to feel the overwhelming heat of his touch.
And when he touched her, when he spoke to her with that low, dark voice, it made her forget the rest of the world.
---
It was late. She hadn't expected him to show up tonight.
Ana was just finishing a glass of wine in her apartment when she heard the sharp knock at her door.
Her pulse leapt before she could even register the sound. She had known. She had *known* he'd come for her again.
She opened the door, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. Hayden stood there, his expression unreadable, his tailored suit as sharp as ever. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that felt like a promise—one she had no choice but to accept.
"You've been avoiding me," he said, his voice low, deliberate.
"I haven't been avoiding you," she said, her words coming out a little too breathlessly for her liking.
He stepped closer, his presence engulfing her as his gaze traced over her face. She tried to stand her ground, but he made it so difficult.
"You've been avoiding yourself," he said, his voice suddenly softer, but no less intense. "You're lying to me. Lying to yourself."
Ana felt her heart race as he slowly entered the apartment, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He didn't wait for an invitation; he never did.
He stepped toward her, and she took an instinctive step back, but the coolness of the wall stopped her. Hayden was a predator, and she was trapped in his lair.
"I haven't changed my mind," she said, trying to sound firm, but the way he was looking at her made it impossible to ignore the truth—the undeniable truth that part of her wanted this. Wanted *him*.
Hayden reached up and brushed his thumb along her jawline, his fingers warm against her cold skin. "I never asked you to change your mind. I just asked you to stop pretending."
Her breath hitched, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. She was torn between wanting to scream at him to leave and wanting to pull him closer.
"Stop pretending you don't want me," he whispered, his lips now just inches from her ear. His breath fanned over her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. "Because I can see it. In your eyes. In the way you look at me. You want it."
Ana's hands trembled, but she forced them to stay at her sides, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how badly he affected her. "You don't know anything about me."
"I know enough," he murmured, and his lips brushed against her earlobe, his voice dropping even lower. "I know what you need."
Her chest tightened. She couldn't breathe. His words hit her like a drug, a dangerous, intoxicating promise she couldn't ignore.
Before she could say anything, his lips were on hers. Soft at first, a mere brush against her mouth. But as the seconds ticked by, the kiss deepened, growing hungrier, more desperate.
Ana gasped when his hand slid around her waist, pulling her against him. She could feel the heat of his body through their clothes, the hard press of his chest against hers, and it made her knees feel weak.
She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. His hand gripped her chin, tilting her head back as his lips moved to her neck, his hot breath sending shivers through her entire body.
"Tell me you don't want this," he rasped, his lips brushing the delicate skin of her throat. "Tell me you don't want me to touch you like this."
Ana was speechless. Her body had already betrayed her, responding to him in ways she couldn't control. Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, not willing to admit how much she wanted him.
"I don't need to tell you," she whispered, voice trembling. "You already know."
Hayden chuckled, the sound dark and knowing. "Exactly."
He stepped back slightly, his hands trailing down her body until they landed on her hips. He paused, his eyes searching hers. "You know what I want from you, Ana. You know what this is."
She swallowed hard, her heart thudding in her chest. "I'm not like the others," she said, though even she didn't believe it anymore.
He smirked. "I'm not interested in the others. I'm interested in you."
Then his lips were on hers again, but this time it wasn't just a kiss—it was a demand, a claim. The way he kissed her made it clear he wouldn't stop until he had everything.
Her hands were no longer by her sides. She was touching him now, feeling the hard planes of his chest, the muscles beneath his shirt, pulling him closer as if she couldn't get enough. Every kiss felt like it was tearing her apart and putting her back together all at once.
And when he broke the kiss, she felt a sense of loss—a hollow ache—that only made her want more.
"Come with me," he said, his voice rough, as he took her hand and led her toward the bedroom. His grip was firm, demanding.
Ana didn't stop him.
She couldn't.
Because deep down, she knew she wanted this. Wanted him. Even if it was going to destroy her.