Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. At any second, he would realize she had slipped his phone into her hand. He leaned in, mouth brushing her earlobe, and a shiver shot through her as his lips grazed that sensitive spot.
"I must admit," he murmured, "after everything I've heard about your so-called charm, this was pathetic. A sloppy attempt."
Heat scorched her cheeks—humiliation mixing with anger.
"You're the one who kissed me!"
He laughed, low and dismissive.
"I only did it to see how desperate you'd get. Now I know. You've confirmed it—you'll fall into my bed with the tiniest push. So do yourself a favor and stop trying to negotiate with your body." His mouth twisted in contempt. "I can get that without effort."
She needed to leave—now—before he pushed her into saying something she could never take back. Keeping the phone hidden, she slowly slipped her hand away. Clenching her fist against her skirt, she hissed, "I'd rather be locked in a tower than spend one more second with you."
"Perfect," he shot back. "I'm tired of even looking—"
He broke off abruptly, his hand tightening around her closed fist.
"What's in your hand?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" His voice dropped dangerously. He pried her fingers apart and the phone glinted in his palm. He let out a sharp, mocking laugh as he snatched it from her.
"Well, well… you're even more inventive than I imagined."
Clever. The word stabbed her—it felt like a victory turned to ashes. But she wouldn't let him see her disappointment.
"Why would I let you kiss me?" she snapped. "Just being near you makes my skin crawl."
He smiled, amused, but his eyes were dark—furious—and beneath it all, something bitter.
"And to think I almost fell for that touching act of kindness. 'I care, Damian,'" he mocked, pitching his voice into a cruel imitation. "You're not alone. Pathetic."
"That wasn't an act," she insisted. "I meant every word."
"Oh yes," he sneered. "You despised Richard so completely that you can't wait to run straight to his bed—fresh from mine, apparently. Tell me, does it ever get confusing keeping your lovers organized? Juggling several a day must make it hard to remember who's who. Do you hand out tickets? Or do they just form a line at your bedroom door?"
She gasped, fury choking her.
Her hand flew up on instinct—
And she slapped him, hard, across the face.
Damian touched the cheek she had slapped, the skin still burning. In that split second, she darted forward, snatched the phone from his loosened grip, and hurled it over the balcony.
They both watched as it spun through the night air and disappeared into the shadows of the palm trees below.
She lifted her face to him—eyes wide with fear, but beneath it, a fierce, stubborn resolve.
In that moment, he realized he had gravely underestimated her. She wasn't some foolish flirt. She was far more dangerous.
"Why did you do that?"
His voice was low, shaking with fury. He grabbed her shoulders, giving her a rough shake that tore a cry from her lips.
"Why did you throw my phone?!"
"You're hurting me!"
His expression turned darker, almost feral, as he gripped her harder.
"Tell me," he growled. "What's your plan? Does your brother know you're here? Answer me!"
"Please—no!" she screamed, curling in on herself, raising her arms to shield her face.
He froze.
She was trembling—all over.
And she thought… he was going to hit her.
Her shaking was so violent that he immediately released her.
"Elena," he said quietly, almost stunned, "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Just get it over with," she whispered, defeated. Misery soaked her voice.
He gently lifted her chin.
"Who hit you?" His voice was tight, barely controlled. "Was it Richard? Or your brother?"
Her lips pressed together. Then her tear-filled eyes lifted to his—blue and fragile like shattered china.
"My father," she breathed. "He used to hit me all the time."
A surge of rage tore through him—hot, lethal.
Whoever had done that to her…
They would answer for it.
They deserved everything coming.
He left her alone, letting her wrestle with her feelings. He wasn't built for emotional scenes, and he told himself she needed space.
But after an hour, something gnawed at him.
Against his nature, he went looking for her.
When he entered her room, he froze.
She was standing by the window, soaked through by the rain, her hair dripping, her expression hollow.
He crossed the room in seconds. The moment he wrapped his arms around her, he felt it—her skin was ice cold.
He swore under his breath. "What happened to you?"
For a moment she didn't respond. Then her teeth clicked together as she said, "I tried to escape. I thought I could climb out my window and jump onto the palm trees."
He stared at her. Something in her face… didn't add up.
She was lying.
But why?
"Come with me," he said sharply.
"No—I'm fine," she whispered, pulling back.
"Really?"
Without another word, he swept her off her feet, ignoring her protest, and carried her down the hall into his own room.
He set her directly in front of the fireplace, the flames crackling behind them. Then he pulled her against him, pressing his warm, bare chest to the chilled skin of her upper back. His body instinctively moved to warm her, to steady her shaking.
And in that moment, he felt something he didn't want to feel.
He'd been with women before. Many. But none like her—none who combined purity and temptation so naturally that she made him soft and hard in the same breath.
If he had her in his bed, he told himself, he would finally see she was no different from any other woman.
Maybe… maybe seducing her wasn't such a bad idea after all.
He raised her chin. Forcing her to look at him
"I won't tell you a thing," she whispered
"You will." He stroked her cheek. You will tell me everything I want to and beg to tell me more
Let me help you."
"You want to help me take a bath?
I want you to be warm he said massaging her bare shoulders.
I'm not going to sleep with you,if that's what you think," return to your room then and i won't stop you."
"No," she said." I want to stay with you tonight."
Her honesty surprised. Taking her hand he pulled her from the chair. Her lips were moist and parted he wanted her so bad. He would learn her secrets both of her body and her soul.
Brushing her wet to the side he slowly unzipped the back of her dress, he could feel her shivering beneath his touch or were his own hands shaking?.
Her dress dropped to the floor leaving only her lace white pants.
He sucked in his breath. She was exquisite, shaped like a houri, with full high breast perfectly curved hips and a waist that he would like to spanned with in his hands
It was all he could do not take her right there in his arms,rip off those pants and pressed her against the wall.
To kiss every inch of her skin and warm her with his dick and his breath.
A moment ago Elena had been freezing. Now she felt as if she were on fire.
Damian slowly stroked her body,his eyes dark with lust. His hands ran down her waist to the curve of her hips. Gently he pulled her panties down to the floor. Still kneeling he looked up at her. His hands moved on her thighs and she took a deep, before she heard a gun shot. Do not leave this room no matter what.he ran out the room