Chapter 43
I waited for him to question it.
Waited for the usual hesitation, the speech about timing, about how I was still how I might not mean it.
But he didn’t say anything.
He leaned in and kissed me like he’d been holding it back for days. His mouth crashed onto mine, no hesitation, no holding back. His hand moved to my waist, pulling me closer, and I didn’t even think–I just climbed into his lap, legs folding around him.
I gasped into his mouth, and he took it as permission, sliding his tongue against mine, rough and slow. His hands were everywhere–on my hips, my thighs, sliding under the hem of the shirt I was still wearing. My body felt like it was on fire.
I couldn’t even think straight. I was so wet I could feel it soaking through the thin fabric of my panties. He hadn’t even touched me there yet and I was already throbbing.
His lips broke from mine and dragged along my jaw, down my neck. His voice was thick, rough.
“Say it again.”
“I want you,” I whispered. “I want you to fuck me.”
He groaned like I’d just said the one thing he couldn’t handle. His teeth grazed my neck.
“You don’t get to say that and sit still.”
His hands gripped my ass through the shirt, pulling me tighter against him. I could feel him hard beneath me, thick and pressed right between my legs. I rocked forward, just a little, and his breath caught.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he said against my y skin. “None”
“Then show me.”
He growled something low, something I didn’t catch, and in one motion he turned, Laying me back on the bed and sliding between my legs. His mouth was on mine again, kissing me harder now. One hand cupped my jaw while the other slid down, fingers dragging over my ribs, lower, under the shirt.
“Tell me if anything hurts, he said against my lips.
“It won’t” I said. “Just do it
He pulled back just enough to look down at me, his eyes scanning every inch of my face like he was memorizing it. Then he pulled the shirt up and over my head, tossing it to the floor.
The air hit my skin. His gaze dropped to my chest. His jaw tensed like he was trying not to lose control.
“You’re not real,” he muttered.
I arched my back slightly, needing him to touch me.
“Then stop wasting time.”
His mouth came down hard on my collarbone, then lower. His hand slipped into my panties, fingers brushing through how wet I was. “Fuck, Ellen,” he said under his breath. “You’re soaked”
“I told you,” I breathed. “You make me like this.”
He kissed me again, slower this time, dragging his fingers through me, circling right where I needed him. I gasped and grabbed his shoulder.
“More”
“You’ll
get more,” he said, voice dark. “You’ll get everything”
Twoke up slowly, the sheets soft against my skin. I shifted a little, reaching for the blanket. My body felt sore. I stretched, trying to shake
Chapter 41
off the stiffness, but then I stopped moving
The soreness wasn’t just from my shoulder or my ribs. It was lower too, deep between my thighs. The second I realized it, my stomach Turned.
Memories came back fast. His mouth on mine. My legs around his waist. The way he pressed into me, the way I pulled at his shirt, the way I whispered his name. My face got hot.
I sat up and grabbed the edge of the blanket, pulling it tighter around my chest. My breathing was off. I rubbed my face with both hands, then looked around the room. The fire was out. The space was too quiet
The door opened.
Karl stepped inside, already dressed. His hair was a little damp. He didn’t look at me right away, just set something down on the dresser.
“Your dress is clean,” he said. “I’ll take you home when you’re ready”
That was it. His voice was calm, like he was talking about a meeting. I watched him walk out without another word. The door stayed open.
I got up and headed to the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess. I had faint red marks on my neck. My body looked used. I looked tired.
The shower helped me wake up. I stood under the water for a while. I didn’t think about anything, just rinsed off and dried my hair with a towel I changed into the dress he’d left.
When I got to the car, he was already inside, waiting. I got in and shut the door. The drive back felt slow. The silence filled the space like a wall between us.
After a few minutes, he spoke without looking at me.
“You can stay home the rest of the week. No need to come in to work”
I looked over at him, but he kept his eyes on the road. His tone didn’t change. He could’ve been talking to any assistant,
“whats going to happen to Darren now?” Lasked him.
“The police will take care of that.”
We pulled up in front of the mansion. He didn’t say anything else. Just parked, got out, and walked inside. I followed behind him.
He went straight upstairs, no glance back, no comment
I stood near the door, holding my bag with both hands. I didn’t move for a while, my heart was beating faster than it should have. I looked toward the stairs, he was gone already
I didn’t know what I’d done. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do now.
And I had no idea if I’d just broken the contract
