The lobby of Dante's office is almost eerily quiet, which given that it was the middle of the day isn't that strange, but the silence is still unnerving. A lone security guard looks up from the desk as I open the door and approach. There isn't another way to get to the shiny silver elevators, so I go straight up him.

The desk is situated in such a way that it makes it feel as though the guard is looming over me. The big man stares down his long nose as if I were a bug on the floor, but I don't care. I have done this enough times to know how to behave.

"I'm Vesper. I'm here to see Mr. Dante Russo. He's expecting me." I stand with my hand on my hip, confident and tall. Nobody intimidates me.

The guard blinks slowly and then nods toward the elevator without saying a word. The silence actually makes him more daunting than if he had spoken, but he isn't my problem anymore. I walk to the elevator, feeling his eyes on my ass the whole way. I make sure to sashay just a little bit.

It's a long ride up to Dante's office on the 47th floor. My ears pop with the height increase and I swear I can feel the building sway in the wind as I step out of the elevator. The hallway is painted in a neutral tan that all businesses seem to prefer. His family must be doing well to afford all this. I know that the Russos are big in real estate.

I find the heavy wooden door with his suite number. The placard is blank on the door, as if he doesn't want anyone to know he is here. I can't say I blame him. Given his status, he probably has people bothering him all the time. The office building is nice, but definitely not the trendiest. This would be a good place to work without having wannabe clients harassing him all day.

The door opens on smooth hinges and I step inside. The lobby is bare with only a couple of tired, gray waiting room chairs. I walk through it to the only door that looks like it might contain something. I knock this time and the sound seems to echo through the room.

"Come in," Dante says through the door. I push it open, unsure of what I'm going to find.

This room looks entirely different than the threadbare lobby. A lamp in the corner gives off a warm light that makes the room comfortable and welcoming, especially after the dismal, gray entrance. Dante stands at the window, peeking through the closed blinds at the street below. He's wearing a suit and jacket, and it's kind of weird. It's like he's wearing his father's clothes.

A heavy, black desk fills the center of the room with a comfortable-looking leather chair behind it. Two bookshelves filled to the brim line the walls along with a filing cabinet and two paintings of seascapes.

I'm hot. After walking in the cold in that skirt, the heated room is making my cold hands prickle.

I head straight for Dante. I need him to fill me, to take my mind away from the girl and from Victoria.

"Hey, what's the matter?" he asks.

"Shut up and kiss me," I say, coming around the desk.

As we kiss, I can see his own hunger begin to rise within him. I unbutton and shrug out of my blouse, letting it fall to the ground. There's a burning in my core in a way that only he can put out. I can feel how excited he's getting already. His hands go behind me for my bra, unclasping it and letting it drop to the floor. I can't wait, I practically attack him. I have to get the image of that little girl out of my mind.

“I want you to fuck me, Dante. Not make love to me,” I whisper in his ear. I need this. I need him to take me away from myself. I don't want a gentle love-making session. I want something that mixes pleasure and pain and makes me forget about everything. I need it hard and I need it now.

He pulls away from me a little bit. "Are you sure?" I can see the dark hunger swirling in his eyes.

I bite my lip and smile, nodding. "Take me, Dante. I'm yours to take as you want.”

His eyes darken and he suddenly seems taller. He grabs my hair and pulls me to his desk. I sit on the edge of the wood, arching my back and thrusting out my chest. I want to tempt him. I moan loudly, just wanting nothing but his cock inside of me. He leaves one hand in my hair while the other one begins to hike up my skirt.

He caresses my inner thigh, working his fingers up the sensitive flesh to the cloth of my panties. Without warning, he slips a finger into me. Luckily, I want him bad enough that I have a little lubrication, but not nearly enough to make the penetration pleasurable. I wince. "Careful..." I whine as I look back at him.

He removes his hand and sticks the finger in his mouth, savoring my flavor. His face is emotionless while his eyes burn with a lust I don't recognize. "You said to take you. You sure you want to continue?"

I swallow hard. His erection is huge against my leg. "Yes," I whisper, looking at his pants.

He scrunches his hand in my hair, forcing me to stand and turn so he can push me down onto the desk. He's stronger than me but I don't fight back when he pushes down on my low back and rips my skirt down my legs. My nipples harden against the cold of his desk.

"Stay there," he commands. This isn't the Dante I know. It's his voice, but it doesn't sound like the Bond I met in the piano bar. Still, I'm so turned on I just hug his desk.

I feel his hands behind me, suddenly wrapping his fingers around the crotch of my panties and tearing. A mixture of fear and arousal spikes my heart rate he pulls the pieces of my panties down each leg, keeping just a strip of the fabric holding it together. He traces a finger down my spine, down the line of my butt and to the v between my legs. I spread my legs side to give him access. He forces one finger inside of me, but this time I'm ready. I'm already so wet. I want more than just a finger. I start to moan. "Dante..."

"Shut up," he growls. His finger drops away, leaving me aching for more. I hear his footsteps go to the front of the desk and I raise my head to look at him, but he grabs a handful of my hair and pulls up. I squeak with surprise and pain as he forces my head up. His crotch is right at eye level for me and his pants are unbuttoned and open. When I look up at his face, he just smiles. "Make sure to get it nice and wet."

I do what he says, taking it in my mouth. He begins to fuck my mouth roughly, lubricating it, taking what he wants. My breasts stick to the surface of the desk as I raise and lower my head. My core is made of fire and this is stoking the heat. Tears spring from my eyes when he goes too deep, but I'm loving every minute of it. This is what I wanted. What I needed. I needed

He steps back and goes back around to the other side of the desk. I get on my tiptoes, opening myself up for him. His hard length leans against my ass, and he poises himself at my damp entrance. He pushes into me, making it feel good for him. It immediately scratches the itch, and I find myself rocking back at him.

He puts his hand on my back, holding me down. He's fucking me hard, ramming his entire length as deep into me as he can go. It's violent and rough, but I love it. It's making me forget my past.

His hand traces the curve of my low back continuing to palm my ass. He spreads my cheeks wide, watching as he plows into me. He pulls out of me and grabs my hair again. I stumble to my feet as he drags me toward the window, my torn panties trying to trip me as I walk. At one point I stumble, but he just keeps going, pulling my hair with him and causing me pain as well as pleasure. I love it. I want more.

He pushes me onto his desk, pinning my arms above my head as he rails into me. My head hangs off the edge, pleasure finally taking over the memories that threaten to crush me. This is real. This is now. I don't have to worry about what happened then.

“More,” I whisper. I'm so close to losing myself to him. It's a drug to forget and he's getting me high on him.

Dante thrusts harder, his body slamming into mine. There's raw power and hungry lust fueling him now. He's now primal and needy. I welcome it.

I feel him start to shake, his body finding the ultimate pleasure in mine. This is what I need. This is where I need to be right now.

I close my eyes and take all of him. The guttural sound of him coming sends me over the edge, and my body contracts around him.

We stay that way for a long time, locked together and breathing hard. Slowly he steps back. I lay panting on his desk.

"Are you okay?" Dante asks, his eyes still on me.

I slide to the floor. Now that we're done, the memories are coming back. They aren't as overpowering this time.

“I think so,” I whisper. He wraps his arms around me. Somehow, the gentle strength of his arms after the intense strength of before is more soothing than anything I could have expected. I let him hold me, and slowly the memories of an unwanted kiss that led to my mother's death start to fade.

“I want to go home,” I whisper, suddenly empty of energy. I just want to curl up in my bed.

“I'll take you home myself,” he says, gently smoothing back my hair.

I nod. He helps me dress and then brings me downstairs. He calls a cab and lets me rest on his shoulder the whole way home without saying a word.

He tucks me into bed with a kiss.

I know that I am safe with him.