Chapter 42

Mia

The moment James shut the door to our hotel room, he said, “Take the dress off before I ruin it.”

I glanced at him over my shoulder, a perplexed look on my face. “Excuse me?”

He chuckled. “You like that dress, don’t you?” At my nod, he continued. “Or would you rather I tear it off you?”

I understood the meaning behind his words immediately and blushed profusely. “How rude. You’re not allowed to destroy any more of my new clothes,” I said clearly.

He raised a brow at me in challenge. “I paid for them.”

I folded my arms across my chest. Heck, I knew I looked insignificant and small compared to him, but I wasn’t about to let him annihilate my beloved new garments, even though he did pay for them.

He came to stand right in front of me and said, “Go on. Take that dress off.” He was lightly caressing my collarbone as he stared down at my cleavage. His fingers trailed down toward that area of interest as he said, “I can’t trust myself not to damage your new dress.”

I swallowed. I was becoming weak all of a sudden. “I’m right. You are a wolf in disguise.”

He chuckled at that remark.

I took a step back and then headed into our bedroom. “I wonder if you can shapeshift,” I said over my shoulder.

I heard a snort as I headed into the bathroom to freshen up. I was done ten minutes later, wearing James’ pajama shirt. The hem reached all the way to my thighs and the sleeves past my hands, so I had to roll them up.

James was sitting on the bed, awaiting my return. He faced the bathroom door so I had no way of escaping his prying eyes.

“I’m ready,” I said cheerfully. “You can use the bathroom now.”

He let out a little chuckle as he watched me going around to my side of the bed.

“I never really asked you this, but how long are we staying here?”

I was holding my breath for his reply. Please let us stay here for at least another three days. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my brother before returning to Mystic Spring.

He didn’t reply. Just grabbed my wrist and pulled me around to him. I didn’t even have time to react before he slammed his lips against mine and kissed me wildly and passionately.

“Ngh… Mmm…” I moaned softly into his mouth.

He pulled me down on the bed, and in a flash, undid all my shirt buttons and then pulled my panties down my legs. I was naked before his eyes in no time and lying there in such a wanton position, ready for the billionaire to devour me to his heart’s content, which I knew would happen any second now. My body ached deliciously in anticipation.

“Are we doing it again?” I asked coyly, staring up at him, my eyes bright. I wanted to tease him. “It’s like number three already today.”

He chuckled. “Shouldn’t you be pleased I want you that much?”

I chewed on my lower lip, thinking seriously about it. Suddenly, I couldn’t help myself. I had no idea why, but I desperately wanted to know if I was the first and only woman who ever made him want me that much.

“So ever since you grew into a man, am I the first woman who ever made you want me that much? Like to have sex and stuff like that?”

I held my breath as I waited for his reply. Please say yes. Oh, please say yes. I didn’t know why I wanted him to say yes that badly, but I did.

He cocked his head to one side and bluntly said, “No.”

I felt a lump in my throat, and my tummy felt sick. Well, what did I expect? That he’d say yes and then go on to confess how wonderful I was and how I’d changed his world for the better? That he’d now fallen in love with me? Within barely a week of knowing each other?

What a sick delusion.

James brought my mind back to reality from my dreadful thoughts by kissing me on the lips once again. Then he plunged his tongue into my mouth and continued to deliciously devour me, which drove me insane. I writhed beneath him, crying out in beautiful agony as my body submitted to his delightful assault.

When he drew back, he just stared at me, his eyes dark. My heart raced as I lay there below him, my whole body quivering, me staring back up at him, begging him—both to completely fill me whole and to love me.

My heart ached at that, and I whimpered a little.

Slowly, James touched my cheek with his thumb and wiped something wet off my skin. Then he licked his thumb as if it were indeed delicious.

Tears!

That was when I realized I’d been crying. I felt sick. Oh God! Why had I been crying?

James didn’t say a word. He wiped my other cheek and then continued to kiss me everywhere: on my forehead, on my cheeks where more tears suddenly poured, and then my lips, where I could taste the saltiness of my own tears.

My whole body was crying, both for him to take me until I was senseless and to take away my pain. I didn’t know what type of pain I was having, but it was deep and twisting within me, torturing me to the brink of madness.

I was groaning and crying at the same time as James inserted himself deep into me and then drove in and out of me. He made me dance erotically along with him, my body moving fluidly as my core burned while my heart ached with the love and hate and admiration and everything in between for this man who’d turned my life upside down.

“J-James…”

I gritted my teeth as tears flowed down my cheeks. James licked them away with his tongue, which drove me wild. I cried and laughed and groaned and moaned at the same time as he thrust in and out of me.

Then I couldn’t control myself anymore. I knew I was mad. So madly in love with this man who I’d only just met, the man who thought of me as nothing more than his mistress, his plaything, his toy.

I cried as I clutched him, hating myself for falling for this man and hating myself for being so weak. But I couldn’t stop myself. I had fallen in love with James Maxwell, and I had no idea how to deal with these emotions.

Then we came, with him imprisoning me hard against the softness of the bed, his hands on my wrists and his beautiful Prussian-blue eyes gazing down at me, his face hard and dark—a beauty of a man that made my heart fill with love and hurt at the same time.

I was heaving, and my body was shaking like a leaf as I cried and orgasmed at the same time. It was the most glorious feeling I’d ever had—a sensational mix of hurt and trust, of pain and pleasure, of something deep and indescribable, twisting and erupting within my core like fireworks that never ceased flickering within the darkness.

He finally relaxed on top of me, his manly build heavy on me. Suddenly, he tightened me in his arms, squeezing me so hard I thought I might just break any moment now. He buried his face deep in my hair as I lay there, not knowing what to think of my newfound feelings for him.

I just didn’t want to think anymore—these overwhelming feelings of love and hurt and everything in between—and I closed my eyes. Thinking hurt. Especially anything to do with James Maxwell.

Then I fell asleep in his arms as I felt his wet, hot lips on my forehead.

It was much later, which I assumed to be around two or three in the morning, when I drowsily opened my eyes. I was aware of the coolness and empty space around me. Curious, I turned over and found James had disappeared. I blinked and flicked my gaze to the bathroom door, wondering if he was in there.

There was no light shining from within the room where the door stood ajar. I flicked my gaze to the door leading into the living area and saw the light was on. Perhaps James was getting a drink or something?

I felt cold and empty, and I wanted James to return to me. I wanted it so badly, in fact, that I knew I was a loon.

I quieted myself from wanting him back that badly and made myself comfortable. I was just closing my eyes again when I heard hushed voices. I knew James was talking to Matt. But at this hour? Surely nothing could be that urgent for them to discuss it now and here of all places. But then a single name triggered an alarm within me.

“Andy…”

I sat up. Another word followed that made my heart race with dread.

“Missing.”

I felt as though my heart just dropped and the world spun before my eyes. Oh God! I was going to faint. I could feel it coming.

But I didn’t have time for that. No fainting. Not now. I needed to find out what was going on with my brother. Now!