ride lasted

fingers digging deep enough to leave marks she'd feel to

l throbbed ac

nly, and she stumbled forward, catching herself on the back of the sofa.

ewhere between the car and the elevator. In the dim light of the penthouse, he looked less like the polish

d he say

oo quiet. The kind of quiet

closed. "Nothi

n them in three strides. "Don't lie to me,

laring through the fear. "He as

so much as a wound tearing open. "He followed you i

adora to notice if I was b

that terrifying emptiness

said, his voice dropping

od, burning away the humiliation of the even

he'd rescue you from the monster?" His fingers caught her chin, tilting her face up. "That's alway

e it

makes you..." He trailed off, something flickering across his face

vulnerable." It

ed her chin, stepp

s flew to her

ll sound impossibly loud in the silence. "Every inch of y

oared in he

ction 8, paragraph 3. Would y

ct. That piece of paper that ha

, hating herself for be

hat Ethan said.

, about the way he'd touched her face like she was something precious

ard. "He said I was more tha

fectly still. "And

rrived before I

voice carried no inflection, which somehow made it worse. "

d him about my father, about the d

an stepped closer a

her flinch, but he moved with brutal efficiency, peeling the silk away until it pooled at her fee

ve," he c

livia fought the urge to cover herself, to run, to scream. This was worse t

raced her jaw without touching. "And here."

ice cracked. "He

front of her. "I saw how you looked at him

re dam

flickered across Sebastian's fa

our k

red, though she un

is voice deadly quiet as he loo

d shot out, gripping her sh

hed through her as he free

mouth," h

eyes as she looked up

he gripped her jaw. "Which make

f her mouth, forcing it open. "Conside

her hand fisted in her hair. "Take it," he o

shed forward, filling her mouth, making

se," he instructed coldl

tal pace, holding her head still as he thrust. His

filled eyes, he smiled. "There. That's what I want t

eavier. With a final thrust, he held her in plac

released her so suddenly she

enis back into his trousers. "Ethan's filthy hands all ov

floor. "If I'm so contaminated, te

n's lips "And give you exactly what

was debris, walking toward hi

lf up. You lo