I lashed out, first with my fists and then with the strange power I was still learning. I punched a hard cheekbone and burrowed my power into a solid chest, ramming against the metal plate in the middle. Colors burst to life, vibrant and refreshing, as the Line sprang back into view. Power rushed through me. All I had to do was focus my strength, and I would have my attacker’s soul in my unyielding grasp.

Without warning, I was blasted with power so strong it hauled me under the surface and held me down, drowning me with its potency. Pain burned across my skin before boiling in my middle. Agony blistered behind my eyes and within my mind, blotting out thought.

“Yield.” The voice was barrel-deep and raspy, and extreme relief surged through me.

I dropped my hands and closed off the Line, sagging within Kieran’s hold.

“Thank God,” I said, my words thick and tears embarrassingly filling my eyes.

His grip on me relaxed, though it probably shouldn’t have. He clearly didn’t know me very well.

Anger rose up to burn through the despondency. I never stayed down for very long. I couldn’t, not with the life I led.

I jerked up my hands, throwing him off me. Then I slapped him right across the face. That would get his attention. “What the fuck were you doing, yanking me through the door like that? You could’ve hurt me.”

He knew one moment of obvious confusion before he burst into action.

He grabbed my upper arms and muscled me out of the closet and into a large bedroom, clearly just as angry as I was. Light fell across his gorgeous face, drawing my attention to the rage and fear sparkling in his deep blue eyes.

“What were you thinking, coming here without me?” he demanded, pushing me against the wall. “Thank heavens I came up here to follow normal protocol and change, or I would’ve been looking for you in the wrong part of the house.”

His hard, dangerous stare set my legs to trembling and cold crawled up my spine. The limitless power of the ocean raged within those eyes, like a storm charging the air before lightning zapped down. He could unleash terror, and flay me alive.

I lifted my chin in defiance, refusing to cower.

“You’re watched,” I said through gritted teeth, fighting the desire to run. Fighting the intense need to submit. “They’d know you brought me here. They’d have my face, and soon they’d connect the dots. Me in that ghost neighborhood, me in that warehouse, me…the next place I’ll have to go to find a spirit trap.”

My bluffing was starting to come apart, but I’d be damned if I ratted Bria out. I’d agreed to come, after all. I was now part of the crime.

“You drugged Jack.” Fire danced in his eyes.

“He would’ve gotten in the way. Or he would’ve snitched, and you would’ve done something stupid.”

Kieran leaned toward me, his face inches from mine, his anger a palpable thing. “You did something stupid. You’re in incredible danger here, Alexis. Incredible danger. If my father—”

“I know,” I said. “Your father was supposed to be in a meeting. Things don’t always go as planned. But we had to take that chance, Kieran.”

“No, you didn’t. I could’ve—”

“Done what? Looked around aimlessly? You’ve had your chance. For six months, you’ve had your chance. You hired me for a reason.”

His fingers squeezed my upper arms, edging up to the line of painful.

I shifted, edging up to the line of kicking him in the balls.

His eyes bore into me, full of lightning and intensity. Fear flipped my stomach, my primal response to his power and strength.

Fire kindled in my core, my equally primal response to his proximity. Heat rolled off of his body and caressed my skin. He was raw and vicious and powerful, and something in me craved the force of him.

My breath sped up as his eyes roamed my face, settling on my lips. My lips tingled in response, feeling the memory of his kiss.

“Don’t ever do something like this again without checking with me first,” he ground out, his body inches from mine. His grip tightened on my arms. His fervor sent a wave of heat through me as powerful as the tide.

“Or what?” I asked in a breathy whisper.

His lips crashed down onto mine, needy and persistent. His taste, salty sweet, washed through me.

I meant to resist. I meant to push him away. I didn’t want to give him what he wanted. But I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t stop my hands from sliding up his hard chest and hooking around the back of his neck.

I fell into that kiss. That sinfully decadent kiss.

His hands dipped under the hem of my blouse and ran up my fevered skin. His large palms drifted over my breasts and his thumbs dipped into my bra and circled my sensitive nipples. I moaned into his mouth, not wanting anything else in the world more than I wanted him right then.

Decision made, reason fleeing, I pushed my hands between us and ripped open the front of his slacks. I shoved the fabric down as his hands worked around to my back, aiming for my bra clasp. His enormous length sprang up, ready and eager.

Unable to help myself, I made room with my hands and sank down to my knees. I took his hard shaft by the base and circled the head with my tongue. His hand curled in my hair and a deep moan urged me on.

I pushed my lips over the tip and sucked in as far as I could, taking in more than normal just to cover some ground. My gag reflex wasn’t pretty, but when his moan turned into a heady groan, it was clear it didn’t matter. I stroked with my palm and backed off with my mouth, sucking so hard I knew the sensation would be just on the edge of pain. I hadn’t forgotten getting yanked through that door.

“Oh Lexi,” he said, using my nickname for the first time.

Something warm unfurled in my middle, soft and deep. I sucked in again, pushing even farther, my eyes watering now. He gave my hair a tiny yank, a little aggression to go with his pleasure.

In the mood I was in, I fucking loved it.

I increased my pace, needing him. Needing the taste of him, the feel of him, steel covered in velvet. I cupped his balls as I pulled off his cock, my suction making a pop.

“Yes,” he breathed, hardly more than a sigh.

I stood in a rush, grabbed two fistfuls of his dress shirt, and ripped. Buttons flew and fabric parted, revealing a torso made in heaven. Perfectly defined pecs led down into the six going on eight pack that had haunted my dreams since the last time I’d seen it.

He shoved me against the wall, his hips pulled away just enough to get at my buttons. He shoved the fabric down, panties included, before skimming a surprisingly delicate touch up the inside of my thigh.

Goosebumps washed across my skin and anticipation choked the breath in my throat. His kiss was hard. Demanding. His feather-soft touch ever so lightly traced up my center and flicked my clit.

My world slipped sideways and any thoughts other than his touch fled from my head.

His other hand cupped the back of my neck—possessive, controlling, and strangely erotic—while his finger circled my clit, still so lightly. No relief. He was playing me like a master played an instrument, and I could do nothing but hang on to his thick shoulders for dear life.

My eyes fluttered as his finger traced down my wetness, still finding no purchase. With his chest he pushed me harder into the wall, leaning his size and strength against me. Making me feel fragile and delicate, but utterly protected by this robust and intensively powerful man.

“Just fuck me already,” I groaned against his mouth. So keyed up. Past the point of sanity.

I earned a dark chuckle.

He pulled my legs up to his hips before gyrating against me, his cock rubbing up my wetness and over my clit before retreating, sending delicious shivers through my body. His tip just barely kissed my opening, and stalled…before he thrust.

Colors sparked behind my eyes. Pleasure coursed through me. My body stretched to the point of pain.

“Oh Kieran,” I sighed, letting my head fall back to thunk against the wall. Everything stopped for a moment as my focus reduced down to the gloriously consuming sensations. He filled me up and then some, sending me higher. “Oh God.”

He pulled back before unceremoniously thrusting again, ramming into me. And again, no mercy. I held on with everything I had, unable to think. Unconcerned about decorum. I swiveled my hips, heightening the sensations.

“Yes, baby,” Kieran said, his accent seeping through.

The soft breeze of the Line drifted down, fanning my power. Both types of his magic swirled around and within mine. As magic boiled and pleasure throbbed, expanding with each hard thrust, I felt myself losing control.

“Oh God,” I cried. “Too much.”

“Can’t…” he grunted, ramming ecstasy into me. “Can’t…stop. No…control.”

My body wound up, tighter and tighter. His muscles flared. Our magic mingled. I could barely breathe through the intensity. I needed it to end while wanting it to go on forever.

“I…need…to…” He thrust into me with every word. I pushed against him, animalistic. “…have…all…of…you.”

Movements got smaller and ten times more intense. The tide of pleasure rose as he pounded into me.

“You’re…mine!”

An orgasm blindsided me. I cried out, lost to the feeling of him. Wave after incredible wave of pleasure tore my body apart and blasted it into a million pieces. I shook as he groaned, the two of us finishing together.

“Holy fuck,” I said through clenched teeth, riding the climax. The waves kept coming, frazzling my wits.

“Oh God,” I said again, finally coming down. An aftershock made me shiver. “Holy fucking God.”

He wobbled, taking an arm from around me to brace himself against the wall. His chest rose and fell quickly, out of breath.

“I told you,” he said before kissing me languidly.

“What?” I asked against his lips, floating in the sublime afterglow.

“Hate sex can be fun.”

I nibbled his bottom lip. “Except I don’t hate you.”

“Angry sex, then.”

“Hmm.” I let my legs slide down from his hips. My feet hit the floor, but my knees instantly buckled.

“Uh-oh. Here.” He reached for me before wobbling again, hitting his shoulder against the wall. “You’ve done a number on me.” He braced an arm around my back and swung my legs up, cradling me against his chest. “My father will be going swimming with me. You’ll need to get out while he’s out of the house. You can’t stay.” Regret crossed his features, but the expression was gone so fast I second-guessed whether I’d seen it at all. “Do you understand?”

“You mean I can’t hang around the house of a guy who might turn me into a mindless zombie hell-bent on ripping souls out of people’s bodies? What bullshit.” I laughed and leaned my head against his shoulder, utterly and blissfully content.

I’d wait until I made it out of the house in one piece to reflect on what an absolutely terrible idea this had been. On his repeated declaration that I was his, and how delicious it felt to hear him say it. I’d certainly wait to think about how completely fucked up our working relationship was bound to be now that I’d given in to him.

And how much I already wanted to do it again.