es zigzagging up the side of her building had never looked so good. She paid the driver with the last of her emergency cash, her

l over her. A black Maybach, silent as a shark, slid up to th

-a sharp jaw, a straight nose, an air of cold, bored authority. On

. The watch she remembered traci

ed to ice. She didn't hesit

suit, built like a refrigerator, intercepted her with terrifying eas

ven taller than she remembered. His presence sucked all the air out of the grim

ole. "My things," he said, his voice a low, chillingly c

thudded shut, and the lock clicked with a horrible finality. The thick, soundproof gla

at, her voice shaking with rag

fingers cool and firm, forcing her to look at him. His eyes were t

ocked. "That's not the impres

shot back, the word

my bed?" His gaze flickered down her body, insolent and possessive. His voice dropped, becom

eath caught in her throat. She stared at him, he

king her jawline in a gesture that was anything but gentle. "You thought you'd get close to me, become my

ation, the rage of the past twelve hours coalesced into a single, explosive point. With a gu

impact echoed i

ned back to face her. A red mark was already blooming on his cheek. But his eyes... his eyes

g across his lips. He touched his tongue to the c

overwhelming. But before he could close the dist

his eyes still locked on hers,

ayton? Do you have a minute? I wanted to talk to you about

tared at Clayton, her eyes wide with panic, silent

n Clayton's lips. He was enjoying

e said into the phone, his voice sm

oved the phone closer to her face, h

bit down hard on her lower lip, tasting blood. Her entire body trembled violently, trapp

asting on her panicked, tear-streak

reath hot against her ear. "Under my protection? What do you think

t. She shook her head, tea

lm down," he said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate murmur. "And stop pretending you have a c

, but by the sheer, suffocating weight of his will. She closed her eyes, her body trembling with the