MA

it for a second. The silence wrapped around me like an old frien

It still smelled faintly like the perfume I wore th

y hand before slipping into my silk robe. Pale rose

ity outside was humming quietly, but my apartment was still. The kin

phone

t o

w me

wn Nu

new who

ress. D

place. My driver is o

ra words. Just c

hone. My thumb hovered for a seco

od sl

't sign his name.

e black dress tucked away in the back. I hadn't worn it in months, but it sti

-there. He hated cotton. Said it looked like "nonsense."

t to be obedient. That was

nted his jaw to clench. His hands to twitch.

loose around my shoulders. I skipped the lip g

side, the black ca

thing. He just nodded onc

Same car. Sam

coat tighter around myself, though it

ng through traffic like it already knew the path.

gular

't a five-star hotel with tinted windo

pressed me against the wall befo

my knees

r it was-wasn't swe

e me feel

at shut everything else out. The expectations. The pretendi

was never abo

about b

oom smelled

pped inside slowly, my heels clicking against the marble floor. The lights were l

ds in his pockets, back strai

dn't

't s

ay his shoulders locked when he was t

ht, he wa

me, deep and sharp l

rway, my black dress hugging every inch of me, my cotton

es

tur

sweeping over my dres

wore

" I said, sof

e, stopping a breath away from me. His presence

you red,

t feel l

ly. But his eyes-his eyes

d, voice low, dangerous. "Kn

I could," I said. "

it coming. Not a slap. Just a firm g

ng to be taug

mach f

" I whi

s all i

ough, not cruel, but enough to remind me how easy it was fo

d the bed, he

," he

hing was shallow. My heart slammed against my ch

ame down in

at it, like it had touched me in ways he didn't ap

to my ear now. "Bl

ly. "I thought

down hard on

e from the sh

t," h

n't a

I said

strike

wo

ai

hr

tung. But it also burned in a way I craved. A dark thrill curle

th, my kne

lack for me?" he aske

I bre

ruck

ev

e disobe

etim

aned in, his mouth

e. Don't fo

aven

them down, slow and commanding. Then he pushed me forw

" he growled behind

I

Smiling. Playing nice. But here-here, I could

nto me hard

ied

from

led at the same time-mind, bo

lling me back against

in," he grunted, "a

," I g

eep. He was punishing me, claiming

I le

is was how

craving

eting p

my throat, not tight, ju

this angry?" he whis

ose control, and I

in his chest a

s cl

cl

e kne

edge, like he wanted me to suffer for wha

ally-he

so d

y legs shook. My vision blurred. I colla

me from behind. His chest rose and fell fast a

felt quie

eful. Ju

tles when the storm has pass

y was heavy, boneless, sunk into

d befor

ays

like he didn't

for his jacket. A man like him was never fully undress

is watch. "G

e it

body ached in all the right places. I swung my legs ove

oking at him when

do softn

uddl

able near the window. When I turne

us

ady as I walked over and picked it up. I didn't count it

it into

elope every time," I said qui

plied, voice

sessive, like he was imprinting this momen

hand on the knob, waiting for

ngers. My legs ached, my thighs still trembling from what he'd done, fr

I said

t meet

n't n

steady enough

rushing against him. I walked past him, head high, perfume clinging t

door closed wit

velope he left on the