5: Unr

, her mind racing to make sense of what was happening between them. The entire mansion felt like a prison, and he-Desmond-was its warden. Yet, there was something

oice as cold as steel, sen

her legs betrayed her. She slowly walked toward the chair at the far end of the study and sank into

ing her face. He seemed to drink in her every movement, as though he were stud

n. Desmond was always in control, but this time, Eliana refused to let him have the up

firm, cutting through the silence. "Why do you want t

angerous flashed in his eyes-something that sent a shiver do

ed coolly. "And whether you like it or not,

t beneath her anger, there was something else-a pull, an undeniable attraction she couldn't deny. It s

t too small to breathe. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating. Elian

e whispered, her vo

that she could feel the heat radiating off his body, could smell the int

ce soft, yet filled with an unmistak

ouch was light, almost tender, but it sent a jolt of electricity straight through her. Her breath

bling now, betraying the vulnerability she

thought he might pull away. But then his hand slid to her neck, his th

hispered, his voice low and husky,

e heat in her face, the flush creeping up her neck. Her body betrayed her every time he came near, an

, trying to shake off the sensation his tou

low, deliberate strokes. "You think you have control here, Eliana? You d

liana gasped, her body instinctively pressing against his. She felt the hard planes of his chest, the sol

er voice hoarse now, raw with

look up at him. His lips hovered just inches from hers, so close she could feel the heat

voice soft, almost intimate now. "I've

pull, a heat that neither of them could deny. Desmond's lips were so close to her

give in to the burning tension between them. Part of her wanted him to kiss her, to

word coming out more like a

both possessive and almost tender. "You can resist all you want, Eliana," he said

to fight, wanted to shove him away, but her body refused to cooperate. Every

s he whispered, "I'll make you crave me, Eliana. Every

body betraying her completely. Her mind screamed for h

to make her knees weak. Her hands, as if of their own accord, gripped his shirt, pulling him closer. She hated herself for it, hated the way she was

ickly as he had move

r chest heaved with the effort of keeping h

rk and unreadable. "This isn't o

ut another word, leaving her standing ther

ressed her hand to her forehead. She was torn between the overwhe