and froze-just a fraction of a second, yet lo

s was nearly bare-he

ward by shock and curiosity alike, and the s

en, slowly, his gaze lifted and collided with hers. Tear-filled ey

quite literally-after leaping

ent shiver ripped down her spine. She snapped her head u

ing tight around his throat. "Don't move," she hissed

ting pull. Her eyes were cold, ruthless-yet they gli

ssly to her body. There were

led too brightly and offered themselves too easily,

g oxygen. For the first time in years, Le

d, he slid an arm around her slen

aid quietly, his tone infuriatingly calm, threaded wit

ang

ey could "arrange" he

an had gotten t

was already calculating the cleanest way to kn

d onto smoldering embers. Strength drained from her limbs, muscles weakening as s

was trapped in the arms of a man who

hting the pull that threa

e could muster. "I've been drugged. If I end up fucking you, that's not

ath, half laugh, half dis

to him like that. Not

alerie spun on her heel an

ong the ceiling. The bathtub was already filled,

ain flared instantly. The cut on her right wrist burned sharply as blood spilled free

er bleeding hand, and spoke in a voice low but unyielding.

gain, this time hooking firmly behind his neck. In one swift, flu

d. His arm locked around her waist as he kissed her back, deep a

ont of his robe, pressing against

d, driven by desperation rather than de

ttered against her lips, his voic

t against the wall, holding her

powered. She shifted her weight, drove her knee hard into his th

he straddled his hips,

ot and uneven, the narrow space between them vibrating w

losing everything when a p

f him and staggered back, bracing herself again

ercenary. How had one dose of aphro

oward her again, intent on pull

d into the wound on her right wrist, tearing it open. Fresh blood streamed down,

just to regain control. His brow furrowed. Then he c

helplessly to his warmth, revolted

kill you!" she snarled

e taste told her everything. A rare antidot

fire receded, the grip loosening u

blanket and then summo

angled strands that somehow made her look fragile. Yet the scars cove

from her face and remained beside her, pressing

later, the

already been escorted away

y. Her eyes widened when she saw Valerie unconscious. "Holy hell-sh

h wish?" Leland's v

t and bent to examine Valerie's

she would've bled out. She needs stitch

to my medical room,

to you. If you bring her there, people will assume she's

. He bent, lifted Valerie into h

No guests remained-only staff and his securit

radling Valerie, her

fell into stu

choed through the space, each one heavy eno