ndre'

y dressed-black shirt, watch on his wrist, sleeves rolled.

e, was already seated in t

again-mildly amused

tea, fingers pa

ut looking up. "That w

h. Just poured h

Right there

?" he ask

s gleaming. "Don't insult me,

dn't r

"I didn't know you we

not a

w arched. "The

her. Silent for a

de

e been paid o

n't wan

ack, smiling. "S

vious it sounded

unpolished. Angry. Desperate. She's never been sha

head. "You sound

a flicker

thing li

g things. You like shaping them.

er that. Just s

m. "Is it just

No

wai

spoke again

've buried loyalty. Betrayal. All

Ye

t manners and perfect moans. Lia doesn't fake anything. She hate

for a moment. Through

monster. And it's the first t

's smil

ou forever, you

coffee. "Or maybe she'll b

g her dress. "You're

is f

door. "Just don't burn

d. But Élodie always knew how to pull th

to the door whe

er before

ed. Slowly t

was walking home. Hair wet. Head

re watch

orgot her. Like she'd already been abandoned

repeated. "Lik

e. "No. Like a fire. I wanted

pau

said, quietly. "And I'm go

long second. "You're not in love,

ence," he said. "An

n't argu

"Maybe I'll go s

DIE'

as quiet when

akeup. Bare legs. Oversized sweater. The kind of so

ked up,

im," Élodie

w who y

hed Élodie's

dropped. "Yo

d softly against the floor as she stepped

en w

ted to see if y

owned.

ed her over slowly. "You're chaos. You make him shake. I wanted to

't ask f

kn

r. Not too close. But

long pause

n, s

el like you belong to

worked. "Yes.

sweater sliding high on her thighs. Bare and tense. Li

said. "Scared. Wet. Angry. Confus

osed he

s fingers tou

of

asu

s like when a woman touches yo

s-shocked. Breath c

"

th punishment. But with curiosity. Warmth. S

thumb lightly ac

ong to him,"

aid. "But part

idn't

top Élodie's

, soft and slow, Lia made a soft soun

ed gently. No dom

w, unfami

der her sweater, brushing light

cause i

cause i

A'S

s hands

Given what Lia had expected from the woman who watche

. Softly. Like she wasn't afraid o

uldn't

in. Not low. Just over the skin beneath her ribs,

eels like," Élodie whisper

ouldn't move. Her mouth felt too open. Her body

door

steps-just the click

stood the

tch

s hand paused too-b

adable. Not rage.

e a loaded weapon de

ly, met his gaze. "

oint," he s

teppe

tomatically.

n't loo

yed locked on

king. Not from fear. From feeling. Y

e repeate

's wrist lightly. Then l

r shut b

len

he

ff the s

nched. "

in, stepping clo

trembled, b

he waist-still pink from the clamps, nipples tight from

ed over her lik

t her to

hurt me," s

xac

r. So close now h

he said. "And now you th

with his knuckles. G

d. "But you? You don't want soft. You wa

t," she

ou

wisted, and yanked her head bac

l wet from someone else's fingers,

d how rig

oser. Pressed his

ere fragile," he whispered.

her. Deeper. Possession w

ed away, she was

l wrapped in silk, "if you let anyone touch you, I'l

growled, storming out of the room