Chapter Five

Elena stared at Andrea with shock as he pulled away from the kiss. She couldn't believe he kissed her. She touched her lips slightly and shivered.

Elena truly didn't believe he was going to kiss her. Not until she felt his mouth against her own. As he lowered his head to hers, she just stared up at him in shock.

Then she felt his lips against hers, rough and hot, hard and sensual as silk. She gasped, closing her eyes as she felt the caress of his embrace like a thousand shards of light.

When he finally pulled away, she sagged against him, dazed beneath the force of her own surrender.

But Andrea just sat back against the seat as if he hadn’t just changed her whole world—forever.

“Why...” she whispered, touching her tingling, bruised lips. “Why did you kiss me?”

Andrea glanced back at her. “Oh, that?” He shrugged, then drawled, “I can barely call that a kiss."

Elena had never thought of herself as a violent person. If anything, she was the type to hide and quiver from conflict. But at this moment, she suddenly felt a spasm of anger.

How could he take her first kiss from her like that? She had waited so long for the right person, a man that would truly love her. But Andrea had selfishly taken that privilege away from her.

"How could you kiss me without my permission?"

Andrea cocked his eyebrows. "Pardon?"

Elena tried not to show her obvious rage. "The contract has not been prepared and I am not yet your mistress. Why did you do that?"

"I told you already," Andrea said casually. "I desired to kiss you the moment you walked in here. You should take that as a compliment. Only a few girls get this reaction from me."

But in reality, Elena was the only one who made him feel that way. Staring at her raised the wildest thoughts in his head. Her innocence was intoxicating to him.

He knew it would take little to seduce her. Just one touch and she would be all his. One kiss and she would be moaning on his bed and begging for more. He knew that from the way she trembled as he kissed that. It would be so easy to seduce her.

But emotion tore through Elena, like fire through dry brush. It was an emotion she barely recognized. She’d never felt it before.

"I don't care what you do with other women," Elena said, her voice laced with anger. "You don't get to take my first kiss away from me and act like it was nothing. You turned a memory that should have been sacred into a mockery."

"When you become my mistress, I will do whatever I please with you," Andrea replied, narrowing his eyes at her. Suddenly, her words made sense to him. "Hold on, was that your first kiss?"

"That you selfishly stole from me. I dreamed about my first kiss for my whole life,” she cried. “And you stole it from me. For no reason. Just to prove your stupid point!”

Andrea stared at her like she had suddenly sprouted a second head. For a moment, he didn't want to believe her but the sad look on her face compelled him to.

Had he really taken her first kiss? Was she as innocent as she looked? One would think that such a lady would be desired by numerous men but perhaps he was wrong.

"If that was your first kiss, does that mean you're a —" the words choked at the back of his throat. "Virgin?"

"I don't have to answer that," Elena replied, rising to her feet. "I've endured enough violation for today. I need to see my father before the contract is ready. I need to know that he is alive."

"Do you believe I am a murderer?"

"Aside from being a narcissistic sociopath and a power-hungry jerk, I simply want to keep my mind open that you have other talents."

Andrea chuckled. "That's no way to speak to someone who spared your father's life."

"I believe you expect me to show more gratitude besides selling my body to you. What else do you want? My soul?"

Andrea pressed the intercom button. "I need you in my office immediately." He said, then lifted his gaze to meet hers. "I think I am quite content with having you as my mistress. Your soul is just a bonus."

Elena opened her mouth to speak but a knock came on the door. A man walked in and Elena recognized him instantly. He was the gang leader of the men who took her father.

"I guess you both have met," Andrea said as he noticed the stern look on Elena's face. "Pardon him, he was strictly acting on my orders. He has no grudge against your father."

Elena looked away from him and focused on Andrea. Although she was really angry, she could not do anything to the gang leader or change her father's condition.

"Please take her to see her father. Ensure she has less than twenty minutes with him and he is severely guarded." Andrea instructed.

"I am not going to whisk him away. You don't have to treat him like a common thief."

"Common, no. Thief, very much so." Andrea grinned. "I have granted your request. You may leave with Nicholas."

Elena cast him a furious look before turning toward the door. Nicholas led the way and she followed him anxiously. Her heart began to hammer against her chest as she thought about her father's condition.

Andrea had assured her that he was alive but she didn't trust him. Moreover, she believed that he had tortured him for the truth. How could her old father stand such cruelty? How could he endure all that?

Nicholas led her to a private section of the penthouse. He unlocked a door at the end of the hallway and they walked in.

A loud gasp escaped her lips immediately after she walked into the room. Her eyes fell on her father who was tied up in a corner, his shirt stained with his own blood.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she took steps closer to him. She couldn't believe Andrea would do such a thing to her father. How could he be so cruel? If she hadn't arrived on time, he would have probably gotten him killed.

"Dad?" She said, almost inaudibly as she lowered herself close to him. Rocco lifted his face to meet his daughter's gaze.

"Elena dear, my daughter," he said weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to save you."