“Bobby, wait!”

Leandro’s voice behind her made Bobby run as fast as her legs could carry her.

“Bobby!”

She slammed her hand on the elevator’s button and gasped for relief when the doors slid open. Thank You, God. She rushed in, turned around, and shrieked as Leandro was able to follow her into the elevator just as the doors closed.

His hand slammed on the Emergency Stop button, and the elevator shuddered into a stop.

Shit. Now she was trapped with him in close quarters.

“Bobby---”

When he reached out for her, panic returned in full force and with a little cry, Bobby rushed to the opposite corner of the elevator, needing to keep as much distance between them. Oh God, she hated herself for acting like a ninny but right now, pride was her last concern. She didn’t care if she was acting like a stupid weak damsel in distress. She was in distress, dammit, and all she wanted was to have as much distance between her and Leandro Christopoulos as possible.

Leandro eyed Bobby with frustration. Every instinct he possessed urged him to just haul her into his arms, but he did his best to ignore the urge. She looked so fragile right now, he was terrified if he made one wrong move she would shatter.

“We need to talk.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe if she---

“Not seeing me won’t keep you from hearing me.”

Without opening her eyes, Bobby snarled, “I know that.” She was heartbroken, not stupid. The sound of her own ragged breathing taunted her. Oh God, she was overreacting, wasn’t she? But she couldn’t help it.

Leandro Christopoulos was bad news, and it was all because she loved him. She loved him still, dammit. She loved him like she had never stopped loving him, loved him even though she knew he didn’t love her back.

“We have to talk,” Leandro repeated.

Why was it so easy for him to say that? But then wasn’t that an answer in itself? The idea of talking only hurt her because she was the one whose heart was engaged…and not him.

Inhale, exhale.

You can do this, Bobby. You survived Blaine in high school. Surely you can survive Leandro in college.

Slowly, she forced her eyes open.

Leandro was gazing at her with an inscrutable expression on his face.

The look of wariness on her face hurt. “I don’t plan to hurt you in any way,” he said harshly.

She wanted to lie and pretend that he couldn’t ever hurt her, but in the end, Bobby’s blunt and pragmatic side won and she said flatly, “Just seeing you hurts.”

He flinched.

Bobby’s gaze strayed towards the Emergency Stop button. Someone should have been talking to them now through the voice box, asking them if they need help. But because this was Leandro Christopoulos with her, Bobby knew that not even the stadium’s security would dare interfere. If Leandro wanted the elevator temporarily locked down, then the world would make sure it was so.

Seeing where she was looking, Leandro said quietly, “Give me a time and place where we can talk and I’ll let you go.”

“Why do we even need to?”

“Because I love---” Her head snapped up, and the immense hurt in her green eyes made Leandro stop.

“Stop lying.” When he started to speak, she said in a rush, “I’m already in a relationship.”

The air between them turned cold and dangerous in an instant.

Leandro said unhesitatingly between clenched teeth, “Get rid of him.” He was blinded with rage, and suddenly all he could see was that one photo he had seen on the Internet, of Bobby – his Bobby, dammit – locked in Sabastian Gabris’ arms.

“You’re the one I have to get rid of,” she flung at him.

“I said, GET RID OF HIM.” His voice ended in a furious roar.

“You have no right---” Her words ended with a tiny scream as she suddenly found herself cornered between the wall and Leandro’s hard body pressed against hers, his arms braced against each side of her face.

“I have every right, mégaira,” he said coldly, “because of this.”

And that was all the warning she had.

Just like it had been between them in the past, Leandro didn’t give her a choice to choose or struggle. His lips covered hers and passion exploded between them. She tried desperately to keep herself immune, holding her body stiff, her hands glued to her side, but Leandro was just as determined to make her react, his fingers sinking into her hair to hold her still as his lips continued to ravage her.

The feel and taste of his lips was hotter and sweeter than she remembered, the kiss more passionate…and real. Oh God, it was so real.

His body, hard and fully aroused, pushed against her more insistently, his powerful erection throbbing against her belly.

“Open your mouth, dammit.”

She shook her head frantically.

In retaliation, he pushed her blouse and bra up to cup her breasts. The unexpected heat of his touch and the way his fingers immediately found her nipples made Bobby gasp, and with a growl of triumph, Leandro kissed her more deeply, his tongue sinking into the familiar warmth of her lovely mouth.

She tried pushing him away as he kept ravishing her mouth, tried scurrying away from his body even as his hands played havoc with her breasts, inflaming her body with caresses that became more possessive and urgent. She managed to move to the side even as their mouths remained fused, away from the corner he had locked her into. He followed her easily, his mouth becoming increasingly demanding and his tongue bolder.

“No---” Her voice was a broken whisper, tears falling from her eyes at how her love and need for this man made her so weak and helpless.

“Yes,” Leandro hissed just before kissing her again and twisting her nipples to make her body cry out for his.

Bobby moaned and jerked against his body as her nipples became flaming points of pleasure. Even as her body threatened to surrender completely to his touch on its own volition, she still struggled to be free of him, doing her best to move away even as he continued to follow her wherever she went.

Her back hit another corner, and the buttons against her back made Bobby conscious enough to scramble for the Emergency Stop button and push it from behind.

The elevator resumed its movement.

Leandro’s head jerked up.

The doors slid open, revealing an expressionless Sabastian Gabris standing outside the elevator. Tall with ebony hair and deeply tanned skin, Sabastian possessed the same smoldering Mediterranean looks that Leandro had as well. But whereas Leandro possessed the trademark blue eyes of Christopoulos men, Sabastian’s eyes were a startlingly bright silver, and they were coolly analytic as they zeroed in on the couple inside the elevator.

Leandro had never moved so fast in his life. In less than a second, he had Bobby’s bra and blouse back in place. He didn’t fucking care if Sabastian Gabris had already seen Bobby’s body. The thought alone made him want to kill the other man, but if it had happened – it didn’t matter. He was going to make her his again, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Bobby said tightly, “Get out of my way.”

Dozens of reporters stood behind Gabris, and Leandro knew it had only been a matter of luck that the elevator didn’t have any mirrored walls that could have revealed Bobby’s naked breasts to the scores of cameras trained on them.

If there had been, it would be entirely his fault.

Once again, he had unknowingly put Bobby at risk of another media scandal. Guilt scorched Leandro’s mind and he slowly forced himself to move away. The stumbling speed with which Bobby rushed to Gabris’ side and the way the other man possessively wrapped an arm around her waist made Leandro see red again.

“I’m going to take her back.”

Sabastian Gabris only smiled, and his voice was lazy and arrogant as he answered, “I won’t even keep you from trying.”