Lila's back pressed harder against the cold wall.
Alexander's body was a furnace, trapping her in place.
His hand on her waist tightened, fingers digging through the thin fabric of her uniform.
Her breath came in shallow gasps, threaded with defiance… and something darker she refused to name.
His gray eyes burned into hers, relentless, stripping away every shield she had.
"You can't run from this," he murmured, his voice a velvet threat.
His lips hovered so close she could taste the whiskey on his breath—sharp, intoxicating.
"You can't run from me."
"I don't owe you anything," Lila spat, her voice trembling with fury.
She shoved against his chest.
It was like pushing a wall—solid, immovable.
Her hands lingered there, betraying her, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath his crisp shirt.
Heat spread through her cheeks, and she hated herself for it.
Alexander's lips curved, a predator's smile.
"Oh, but you do."
He leaned closer, his mouth grazing the edge of her jaw, jolting her body.
"Ten million dollars, Lila. A debt you'll never repay with money you don't have."
His fingers slid up her side, slow and deliberate, leaving fire in their wake.
"But you have something else I want."
Her heart pounded, a wild drum drowning out reason.
"I'm not your whore," she hissed, nails digging into his chest, pushing against him.
But her body betrayed her—her skin tingled wherever his breath touched.
She hated how alive his nearness made her feel. Electric. Like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff.
He chuckled, the sound low and dangerous, vibrating against her skin.
"Whore? No."
His lips hovered over hers, close enough to scorch but not touching. Not yet.
"You're my obsession. My prize."
His hand cupped her face, thumb brushing her lower lip—rough, possessive.
"And I always claim what's mine."
Lila's breath faltered, her body caught between fury and something darker.
Her thighs clenched, her pulse racing.
She wanted to scream, to claw at him, but his eyes held her captive.
They promised things she didn't dare name.
"You're insane," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I'll never be yours."
His gaze darkened, a storm gathering.
"You already are."
His hand tangled in her hair, pulling her head back, forcing her eyes to his.
His lips hovered a breath away.
"You feel it, don't you?" he murmured, his voice cutting through her defenses. "This pull. This need."
"No," she lied.
But the word was weak.
Her body betrayed her, trembling with every shudder.
His thumb traced along her jaw, deliberate and slow, while her lips parted, breath quickening.
She was drowning—in the heat of his body, the weight of his stare.
"Fight me all you want," he said, his lips brushing hers, ghosting like fire. "It only makes me want you more."
"I've waited a long time for this, Lila," he whispered. His eyes were dark, familiar, as if he remembered something she couldn't.
His hand tightened in her hair, just enough to make her gasp.
Her body arched into him, instinctive, and his smile was pure sin.
"Stop," she whispered, but it came out like a plea.
Her fists gripped his shirt, torn between shoving him away and pulling him closer.
The air between them crackled, thick with promise.
And then he kissed her.
His mouth crashed against hers with brutal intensity.
It was all hunger and possession, stealing her breath, demanding surrender.
His tongue swept against hers, tasting, taking, and for a heartbeat Lila was lost—swept into heat and need.
Her body melted into his, her hands clawing at his shoulders, nails digging into his skin.
But then reality struck like lightning.
He bought me. He thinks he owns me.
Rage surged, hot and fierce.
She tore her mouth away, her hand flying before she could think.
The slap cracked through the suite, sharp and stinging.
Alexander's head barely shifted, but his eyes flared, dangerous and wild.
Lila froze, her palm burning, her chest heaving.
His smile returned, slow and deadly—a predator baring teeth.
"Oh, Lila," he murmured, his voice a dark promise. "You'll pay for that."
Her stomach dropped.
What have I done?