“I have my car parked over there,” Nathan murmured, gesturing to where his sports car was.

“Aww. Your limousine chauffeur had a day off?” The words might be a jibe, but the shadow falling over her expression made her beautiful face pale.

He knew what it meant, of course.

She was thinking about the other man again.

“I feel like a walk.”

She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t help it, and now she was doing her best to run away from her thoughts.

“Alyx.”

Instead of slowing her down, his words spurred her to move faster. He could have used his strength to force her to stop, but he didn’t, knowing she had to do this. With the afternoon sun settling in and the temperature cooling, the streets were now crowded, causing Alyx and Nathan to walk past countless strangers, most of whom gawked openly at them in recognition.

Some had the presence of mind to take photos, others grinned and winked as if to say, A pussy-whipped boyfriend in the flesh.

Nathan didn’t mind. Opinions of strangers mattered little to him. If it had, he would’ve never been able to make it to the top of his former career.

They walked past his sports car and turned around the corner, which led to one of the quieter blocks in the city. It was less crowded here, the street lined with antiquarian shops, indie stores, and art galleries.

In front of him, Alyx held her head high, her back held stiff, and her generous hips barely swaying. Nathan didn’t give a damn if she needed to walk all the way to Orlando if that was what it would take to get everything out of her system. But what he did give a damn about right now was making sure she was okay.

“Alyx.” This time he murmured her name firmly, letting her know that he would need her to answer this time.

She looked at him over her shoulder---

Ah.

It was but a moment, but it was more than enough for Nathan to know that her soul was crying out for him.

You were supposed to help me forget him!

Alyx jerked her gaze away, but he caught up with her in the next moment. As soon as he fell into step beside her, she spared him a glance that was more a glare even as her lips trembled.

His grip tightened. I’m sorry, sweetheart. When Nathan had chosen to come back into her life, he had done so with a promise, one that she might not have known consciously---

But her soul heard.

It had known what he was promising, just as it knew now he had failed.

Nathan’s fingers loosened and tightened one more time, finally prompting Alyx to look at him. “What?” Her tone was mutinous and fragile at the same time.

“I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“I promised I’d call you, but I didn’t.”

“It’s probably a thing with you, isn’t it? Like an ego trip?”

“Actually, no.” Nathan wasn’t lying. “It was only with you.”

She jerked to a stop, her jaw dropping. “Are you fucking serious?”

“If it’s any consolation, it was not for lack of desire.”

Alyx only looked at him.

“It was simply because I couldn’t make up my mind about what I wanted – needed – to say.”

Slowly, her lips moved to form one word. “Bullshit.”

Nathan grinned.

“I promise it won’t happen---”

“BULLSHIT.”

She had yelled the word out this time, causing onlookers to gather around them. Such a scene would normally displease Nathan, but because this was his beautiful virago---

He only laughed. “I’m sorry.”

“Bullshit!”

She stalked away, but his long-legged stride enabled him to catch up with her, and he told her solemnly, “This is probably going to anger you more---”

Alyx threw him an exasperated look. “Then don’t bother saying it!”

“---but I still haven’t quite made up my mind what to say to you yet.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth that Alyx turned to him furiously, hissing, “Are you serious? Are you fucking serious?” And then she tried crushing his foot with her stiletto. Hard.

Alyx tore away from him as he grunted in pain, but even though it did slow him down a bit, she was again fooling herself if she thought he’d let her get away so easily just like that.

He caught her from behind, and she shrieked, “Who do you think you are, asshole?”

“The man you’ll never get enough of,” he purred into her ear just before yanking her with him into the nearest unlocked door---

Birds chirped in greeting as they found themselves inside an avian emporium, complete with an open-mouthed lady manager.

“Well…” The manager’s voice came out faint, her expression wide-eyed as she took in the way Alyx kept trying and failing to pull away from Nathan.

Nathan’s lips formed a courteous smile. “Good afternoon, err---”

“B-Beth,” the manager stammered. “It’s Beth.” The woman’s gaze darted to Alyx, who was snarling what sounded very much like Russian at the too-handsome man who held her captive. Was this perhaps the time to call 911?

“Good afternoon, Beth. Are you the owner or manager?”

“Owner.”

“Even better.” Nathan managed to keep his tone steady even as Alyx, frustrated by her foiled attempts to escape, now started kicking his shin and doing her best to puncture his kneecap with her stiletto. “And are all these birds for sale?”

Beth didn’t answer, her gaze half-appalled, half-fascinated and focused on Alyx.

“Beth?”

“Y-yes?” The older woman had a visibly hard time pulling her eyes away from Alyx, who was beginning to look more like a would-be murderess than a victim.

“I’d like to buy all of your birds and donate them to various local charities---”

His words finally sank in, and Beth gasped. “Oh dear.”

“And all I ask in return is a small favor.” Nathan paused. “I’ll need to borrow any private room of yours.”

Beside him, Alyx stilled.

“Well, there’s one at the back…”

“Perfect.” It was Nathan’s turn to drag Alyx with him, who seemed to have recovered from her shock now and had started struggling.

“No!”

Beth was divided. “I---I---”

Curving an arm around Alyx’s waist, Nathan took his wallet out using his other hand and placed it on the cashier counter. “Everything you need to know – and have – is in here, Beth.” Nathan found the door to said private room, turned the knob, and as soon as it opened, he carried inside his kicking and shrieking baggage, who had now managed to leave a rather ugly scratch on his left cheek.

The door slammed shut, and Beth said weakly, “Good luck.” But she wasn’t quite sure which of the two needed it more.

Inside the room, which turned out to be a homely little office, Alyx immediately launched herself at Nathan. It could have been a romantic gesture, but it was not, with Alyx obviously hell bent on delivering more injuries.

He caught her handily with a dark laugh, saying, “Now you can scream what you really want.”

“Asshole!” Even as she tried to slap him, he didn’t let go of her and instead hefted her up. He spun around, so fast it had Alyx gasping and her legs locking automatically around his waist in fear of tumbling out of his arms.

It was exactly as he planned, and by the time she realized it was so, it was too late for her.

He had Alyx against the wall, his hard, aroused body landing against hers.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Alyx gasped.

He lowered his head, whispering against her lips, “Giving us what we both need.”

She tried shoving him away. “No.”

“And that’s for you to have as many reasons as you want…” He thrust closer to her, and to be fair to her, she was giving it all she had as she shoved him away.

But both of them knew she could afford to. He was too strong for her, and in the end---

“…to scream my name.” His mouth crashed down on hers, his tongue stroking past her parted lips.

His mouth moved down her neck, and she gasped, “Nathan!”

He sucked on her neck, and again his name tumbled past her lips. He pushed her farther up, her back sliding against the wall just as his mouth captured one fabric-covered nipple. He began to suck, and the action seemed to set a fire inside her---

“Nathan!”

She was screaming it as she tried shoving him away, tried clawing at his face, but he didn’t let it stop him, and instead only sucked harder, drawing her nipple fully into his mouth---

“Nathan!”

When he went back up to kiss her, her fingers drove through his hair, her grip tightening. She tried yanking his head away, but he only laughed, and again he managed to kiss her. She clawed at his back, and he laughed against her lips just before thrusting his hand between their bodies.

His fingers pushed her dress up, the fabric bunching around the waist, and then his fingers slipped inside her panties.

“Naaaaaaaathan----”

“Yes,” Nathan hissed as he stroked her.

“Oh God, Nathan----” Her wetness coated his fingers, and his fingers moved faster.

“Louder, sweetheart.” He thrust one finger inside her.

“Nathan.” A shudder accompanied the moan, and her limbs tightened around him, her nails scraping harder against his body.

Her legs tightened around him, and so did her arms, her nails scraping harder against his back---

His finger pushed deeper.

Her nails began to draw blood.

“Naaaaathan---”

Her hips began to move, meeting the deepening, quickening thrusts of his fingers. He stared at her the entire time, the look of clouded desire on her face serving as an aphrodisiac in itself.

And then she suddenly stilled.

“N-Nathan?”

A broken, vulnerable whisper---

A lost look in her eyes---

He lowered his head. “It’s okay.” His voice was low and soothing. “All you have to do…” His teeth clamped on her earlobe. “---is just keep fighting me.”

A second later, she did.

She screamed. She kicked. She even tried biting his tongue when he kissed her. But he didn’t stop fucking her with his fingers, didn’t let it stop him from shoving his tongue down her throat---

And then she was screaming, coming for him---

It was exactly what they both wanted, an illusion that she had no choice but to enjoy his touch.

Her orgasm lasted long, and he held her the entire time, only gently letting Alyx down when he felt the shudders recede from her soft body. As her feet touched the floor, Nathan expected Alyx to pull away immediately.

But instead she looked up at him.

Ah.

The lost look hadn’t completely disappeared in her dark eyes.

Nathan gently cupped her face, and he said softly, “Don’t disappoint me, sweetheart.”

Her eyes widened.

“Don’t think this is something you should blame yourself for. You’re too smart to do that.”

Slowly, Alyx nodded.

Nathan ran his knuckles down her cheek. “So that’s not it.”

“No.” A faint smile touched her lips. “Not quite that.”

“Then…”

“It only came to me…” She swallowed. “That I barely know you at all. Or at least not more than what Wikipedia’s unearthed, which isn’t that much. I know you’re younger---”

“Two years is nothing,” he dismissed.

“And that you’re a billionaire because of a godfather’s trust fund---”

“But of course that’s not information enough for you.”

Her smile widened. “No. Not quite still. I doubt you’d want to fuck me if it was all I gave a damn about.”

“Then you’d be wrong.” He kissed her hard. “I’d still want to fuck you. I’m not that fussy about sex. But…whether I’d care to know your name---”

She laughed. “God, you’re such a dick.”

“That’s a different matter.” He kissed her again, but this time his lips moved gently against hers. “And you’re different.”

As he lifted his head, she blurted out, “But I still don’t know you.” She reached for him. “I’m letting you do this…” Her fist pounded his chest with each word. “But I still don’t know who you are and---” Her voice turned shrill. “Why am I letting you do this?”

Because your soul knows I have what you need.

But he couldn’t say that.

The truth was hers to reveal, not his.

“Why, Nathan? Why? Why am I turning myself into a slut---”

“Don’t say that,” he gritted out.

Nathan yanked her close.

“Another guy could force you to kiss him like this---” He stole her mouth, sucking hard on her lip, and she immediately tried shoving him away.

His head jerked up, snarling, “And you would hate it.” Nathan’s eyes blazed down at Alyx’s. “Do you understand now?” His hands gripped her shoulders hard. “You can only do this with me.”