Sebastian took my hand and pulled me from the limo, then hurried me into the back entrance to a high rise that disappeared into the night above us. Timothy followed behind and closed the door, sealing out the frigid December air. We veered to the right and walked down a long hallway dotted with modern art that ranged from interesting to grotesque.

There wasn’t a single soul in sight. Nowhere for me to get help. Sebastian had thought of everything, of course. Near the center of the building, we boarded an elevator and rose so quickly that my ears popped. Sebastian kept my hand in his and watched me in the reflective elevator doors. He was the picture of masculine perfection in a bespoke tux, everything about him imposing, crisp, and impossibly sexy.

The elevator opened, and the most delicious scents swirled past us in a rush of warm air. Sebastian led me through a wide set of frosted glass doors and into a dining room with an expansive view of the city. Timothy locked the doors behind us and headed toward what I assumed was the kitchen. Chandeliers glowed overhead, and the shiny black floor appeared like a pool of cooled glass with light reflected at intervals. A single table sat near the windows, its small shape appearing like doll furniture in the wide room.

I couldn’t begin to imagine what it would have cost to reserve an entire swank restaurant on a Saturday night in Manhattan. Reminding myself that he’d only done it to make sure I remained isolated was the only thing that kept me on an even keel.

“I hope you like it.” He showed me to the table and pulled out my chair.

I sat, and he took the seat to my left, both of us getting a gorgeous view of the city. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this high.”

He took my hand and rubbed his thumb back and forth over my knuckles. “I couldn’t agree more.”

His enchantment had worked its way inside me, lulling me. I let it. The beautiful dress, the sparkling night, and the gorgeous man beside me all demanded I buy into the dream for one night. It wouldn’t change my plans for escape.

“Thank you.” I squeezed his hand. “This is amazing.”

“I want to amaze you every day, if you’ll let me.”

The earnest look in his eyes was like a sledgehammer to the walls around my heart. I didn’t want to feel for him. Maybe it would have been better if I were like him—no emotions, no problems. But I wasn’t.

I pushed the feelings down. “Let’s just start here and see if you can keep it up.”

He smiled and kissed the back of my hand. “I assure you that I can keep it up.”

Timothy strode over with a bottle of wine, glasses, and salads. He poured generously, and soon I was eating and drinking as Sebastian asked me questions about teaching.

“The kids are so different. Each one’s personality has different facets. Some are brighter than others, but they all take away different parts of my lessons and apply in their own ways.”

“Don’t you get tired of it?”

“Teaching?” I sipped my wine. “No. It’s actually the one thing that never bores me. A new crop of kids each year, and the sheer variety of them—I love my job.”

“What about moving to the city with … him?”

“Link?”

His brows lowered. “Yes.”

“He had plans for all that. I never did.” I took a larger swallow of wine. Had Sebastian been right when he’d accused me of using Link as a crutch after my parents died?

“That’s because he didn’t know you.”

“I don’t know if that’s true. We spent a lot of time together.”

He shook his head and slid one hand under the table, resting it on my bare leg. “It was obvious at the gala. He spoke for you, but your voice was the only one that I needed to hear. You knew what you wanted to say, but you fell to the background to soothe his ego. That’s not who you are. The sun doesn’t reduce its heat to assuage the frigid moon.”

“How do you do it?”

He cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“Say things like that? Pure poetry from someone who never feels.”

“It’s you.” He leaned closer and slid his hand higher on my thigh. “You’re the reason. I can assure you I’ve never said a poetic word in my life until I met you.”

Heat bloomed along my cheeks, and he smiled, pleased with himself that he’d won a reaction from me. “I love it when you blush for me.”

Timothy strode up and set dishes in front of us, each of our plates as much a feast for the eyes as for the stomach.

“This looks amazing.”

“The chef sends his best regards.” Timothy backed away and disappeared into the kitchen again.

“Tell me more about school.” Sebastian removed his hand from my leg, the heat dissipating, but never truly leaving my skin.

As we ate, I told him about Trenton’s greenhouse and how I’d tried to get funding for it, how the current headmaster would love to tear it down and build a nicer auditorium instead. The wine flowed freely, and I drank with a tad more verve than usual. Once I was more than a little tipsy, I suggested he buy the school a brand new one.

“Done. I’ll get Timothy on it in the morning.”

I almost choked on my wine.

He rubbed my back. “Are you all right?”

“Fine, fine. I just didn’t think you’d—” Another cough shook me.

“Give you anything you asked for? Yes, I will.”

Except the one thing I want the most. I swatted the thought away as he took my wine glass and set it on the opposite side of the table.

After dabbing my mouth with the napkin, I set it on the table next to my dessert plate. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”

Sebastian nodded to Timothy. A few moments later, music started playing around us, the same slow song from the gala. My memory of that night no longer had quite the same mystery, perhaps because I’d solved the puzzle of Sebastian. Being devoured by a predator gives you a particularly close-up view of how they work.

“Care to dance?” He stood and offered his hand.

The wine had me rising to my feet and joining him. I reminded myself that I was freer than I had been since the day he’d lured me into his clutches. Enjoying it was all I could do. For now.

He pulled me close and guided my right hand over his heart. His left hand spanned my lower back, and we swayed to the music.

“Interesting music choice.”

“It brings back memories of the most important day of my life.” He pressed his lips to my ear. “It’s become one of my favorite tunes.”

My breath caught as he dropped his mouth to my neck. A protest rose from my lungs, but it never escaped my lips. His warm tongue swept along my jugular, and I melted against him, my curves flowing into the hard planes beneath his tux.

“I should have done this the first night we met.” He kissed to the front of my throat, our bodies still swaying to the music.

My nipples tightened against the fabric of the dress as he leaned me back and trailed kisses down my chest. With the swipe of his hand, he’d pushed the dress off one shoulder, and cool air assaulted my bare breast. His warm mouth followed, licking my nipple and sucking it into his mouth.

I gasped and held onto him as he slipped his other hand beneath the back of my skirt. Sliding up my thigh, he cupped my ass. Heat converged between my thighs as he kissed up my chest and claimed my lips. His mouth intoxicated me more than the wine ever could, his lips firm and insistent as his tongue sought entry. I opened, giving myself up to him.

His kiss was more brand than anything else. Would I ever be able to think of anyone but him the next time my lips met another’s? He reached beneath me, both hands on my ass, and lifted. I straddled him, wrapping my legs around his back and my arms around his neck. His deep groan rumbled against my chest. I wanted him, even if it was wrong and sick—I wanted to feel him move inside me.

He walked until my back pressed against the wide window overlooking the city. If I looked down, I’d see a straight drop. I didn’t look anywhere but at him. He ground against me, his hard cock pressing on my clit. Easing a hand beneath my thigh, his fingertips grazed my wet folds.

“Fuck.” He stroked me again. “No panties.” He used his teeth to pull my dress from my other shoulder, then sucked my nipple into his mouth.

I moaned and leaned my head against the window as he sucked and stroked me into a frenzy. I ran my hands through his hair as he dragged his teeth along my stiff peak. Everything in me screamed for him, wanted him inside me more than I’d ever wanted anyone.

Supporting me with one hand, he eased the other between us. I bucked when he slid his fingers past my clit and pressed them inside me.

“So fucking tight.” He sucked the pale skin of my breast in his mouth, leaving his mark as his fingers pushed inside me with a hot, fast rhythm.

I held onto his shoulders, the cold glass at my back doing nothing to cool the fire he’d lit inside me.

He kissed to my neck, his touch scorching me to my soul. I shivered, everything in my body in tune with the symphony he was conducting with his fingers.

“I need you, Camille.” His voice in my ear melted what tiny speck of resistance may have remained. “I have to feel you, all of you.”

I grabbed his jaw and pulled his face to mine.

His green eyes flickered with a desire that matched my own. “I’d never hurt you.” He pressed the heel of his palm against my clit, rubbing it in slow circles. “You know that.”

I did. He was capable of any number of horrible things, but I knew in the depths of my soul that he would never harm me.

“You’re everything to me.” A softness entered his voice, a warmth I’d never heard before. It was sincerity, his truth laid bare.

“I want you.” I let the words fly, consequences be damned.

He took my mouth and pressed his chest to mine, pinning me to the window. Withdrawing his fingers, he circled them around my clit. I whimpered, the sensation so strong that my legs began to shake.

His other hand worked his pants open. Pulling his fingers away, he replaced them with his hard cock. “I’ll try to go slow.” His voice shook, his muscles straining.

I bit his bottom lip, and he growled and slanted over me. His cock slid lower and pressed at my entrance. He palmed my breast and squeezed, then pinched the nipple. A multitude of pleasurable sensations lashed me, each one headier than the last. I moaned as he slowly pushed inside, his cock sliding smoothly as my walls stretched to accommodate him.

I dug my nails into his neck when a slight sting erupted. He stopped and pulled away from the kiss. “Are you all right?”

The sting faded, and I moved my hips toward him.

“Oh fuck.” He thrusted forward, seating himself fully inside me.

I gasped and threw my head back against the window. His lips met my throat as he pulled back and thrust again, slicking himself with my wetness and sliding smoothly.

Pressing my heels into his back, I urged him on. He kept one hand under my ass and squeezed my breast with the other. Each thrust sent me higher, and he never stopped kissing me. I ran my nails across his scalp and gripped his hair as he fucked me against the window, my skin slapping against the glass with each punishing stroke.

My arousal swirled higher. His cock was thick, hard, and hitting the one spot I needed most.

“Fucking perfect.” He pressed his forehead to mine and fucked me even harder, my body trembling with each impact. “You’re everything I’ve wanted and more.” He craned his head back, and I gave in to the urge to bite him.

I licked up the side of his throat, then bit down. His deep growl filled the air, and he dug his fingers into my hip, leaving bruises. I kissed away the sting and ran my tongue along the line of his jaw.

“Fuck.” He fisted my hair and turned my head to the side, his teeth stinging along my skin and creating the perfect cocktail of pleasure and pain. “You like it. The pain.” His low voice against my skin was the strongest aphrodisiac. He bit me again, and I cried out and clawed at the smooth fabric of his jacket.

“That’s it, baby. That’s it.” He pistoned into me so hard I feared the window might break, but I didn’t care if we died—as long as he didn’t stop.

I folded in on myself, each square smaller and smaller until I fit in the pulsing nub between my legs.

“You’re close. I can feel your cunt tightening even more.” He pulled out and lowered me to the floor.

Before my lust fog could clear, he dropped to his knees and slung my thigh over his shoulder. His hot mouth on my clit had me slapping my palms against the window.

“Sebastian.” I breathed, unable to think as his tongue stroked me, his fingers searching for the ridged spot inside me. When he found it, my body tensed, and I ground against his face.

He groaned and kept licking me just the way I needed. My body seized, the wave cresting inside me. When it crashed down, I called his name, my voice reverberating through the space as I came hard, each wave of bliss deeper than the last until, at last, I floated along, all tension gone and every last drop of desire lapped up by Sebastian’s tongue.

With a hard yank, he flipped me to my knees. I cried out as he pushed me face-first against the window. When he entered me from behind, I hissed, but spread my legs so he could get as deep as I needed.

He pressed his mouth to my ear and whispered, “I want to eat your pussy for hours. Hours of you begging me to let you come. But I won’t. Not until you ride my cock.” He shoved deep inside me and slid out before starting a fast pace. My breasts pressed against the windows as he kissed the back of my neck. His chest pressed to my back, I had a prime view of the city as Sebastian owned me with every sure thrust. I panted, my breath fogging the glass, and moaned as he slid his fingers to my clit.

“Please.” My voice was more of a whine than anything else.

“You want to come again?” He bit my shoulder. “Squeeze my cock until I can’t take it anymore?”

“Yes.” His filthy words sent my spiraling higher.

“It’s yours. Anything you want.” He pressed two fingers against me, then caressed back and forth.

My hips met his upward thrusts, and he grabbed my hair and wrenched my head back to kiss my lips. We kissed hard and messy, our bodies joined as we both chased release. He grunted, his body tightening by the second.

“I’m there. You need to come.” He intensified the pressure on my clit, and that’s all it took.

I shook as my second release washed over me. So deep, the orgasm silenced me as I leaned into him.

“I can feel you, your walls squeezing me, wanting my come.”

“Oh my god.” I shuddered.

He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down, impaling me on his cock. “It’s all yours, Camille.” He thrust hard, his cock shooting inside me, his wetness adding to my own. He pumped a few more times, his masculine grunts giving me a satisfaction I couldn’t explain.

When he was done, he pulled me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. We just breathed for a while. I rested my head against his shoulder and tried to stop the cascade of dark thoughts that began to flood my mind. But they were like water, seeping around whatever walls I tried to throw up. How could I have done this?

He kissed my shoulder, then slid my dress straps back into place. I bit my lip as he pulled out, the sting reminding me of how long it had been since I’d been with a man like that. He handed me his handkerchief. I took it and cleaned up, then he helped me to my feet.

I tried to walk away, but he stopped me and pulled me into his arms.

Kissing my crown, he whispered, “Thank you.”

I wanted to melt into his embrace, but my own self-loathing wouldn’t let me. Turning away from him, I caught movement by the frosted glass doors at the entrance.

“Who’s that?” I stared. Shock paralyzed me as I focused on the familiar eyes and the dark blond hair. Link. It was Link who peered through the strip of clear glass between the frosted panels.