“Tell me,” Adrian murmured, dragging his lips down her neck, “who do you belong to?”
The arrogance. The sheer dominance in his voice made her head spin. But she wasn’t one to surrender so easily.
She tilted her chin defiantly. “No one.”
Adrian stilled. Then, in a swift motion, he lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist as he pressed her harder against the mirror.
“No one?” His voice was rough now, his control slipping.
She smirked against his lips. “That’s what I said.”
Something in him snapped. His mouth crashed onto he
Adrian's gaze raked over Amelia’s body, taking in the sight of her glistening skin and swollen lips. "You look good like this," he agreed, his voice rough with satisfaction. "But we're not done yet."He pulled away from her, his hands moving to unclasp her bra. She shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor beside the bed. He pushed her down onto the mattress, his weight pressing against her as he kissed a trail down her neck to her collarbone.His fingers dipped between her legs, teasing the sensitive flesh there. She could feel the heat of him, the hard length of him pressing against her entrance.Amelia squirmed beneath him, her hips thrusting up to meet his touch. His fingers were cold and wet, and she could feel herself growing more aroused by the second.Adrian chuckled against her skin, his fingers sliding deeper inside her. "You're so wet for me," he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I love that you're mine."She arched he
Amelia woke to the sensation of warm lips trailing soft kisses along her bare shoulder. Her body was sore but pleasantly so, a reminder of the night before the way Adrian had claimed her over and over again, his name still lingering on her lips. She shifted slightly, feeling the delicious ache between her thighs, and sighed as his arms tightened around her.“You’re awake,” Adrian murmured against her skin, his voice thick with sleep. His breath was warm, his lips tracing lazy circles against her collarbone.Amelia stretched, her muscles still languid from exhaustion, and turned in his embrace to face him. The morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a golden hue over his sharp jawline and tousled dark hair. His blue eyes were hooded with satisfaction, but there was something else hidden beneath the
The city was alive below them, a sea of shimmering lights stretching beyond the penthouse windows. The skyline was breathtaking, but Amelia barely noticed it. Her mind was consumed by one thought, one truth Adrian refused to share.Adrian had secrets — deep, buried truths that he refused to share. He knew her before they ever met. And now, she was done waiting for answers.She set her wine glass down, turning toward Adrian, who was seated across from her, his storm gray eyes flickering over the rim of his own drink. He was watching her, the way he always did like he was reading her thoughts before she even spoke them.She hated how much he owned her, not just in bed, but in every single way that mattered."Are
The silence in Adrian’s penthouse was deafening.Amelia gripped the journal tightly as she stepped into the hallway, her breath unsteady, her heart slamming against her ribs. Every step away from him felt like an impossible weight pressing down on her. The truth had shattered everything she thought she knew, leaving her standing at the edge of a precipice with no idea whether she was about to fall, or if she’d already fallen too far.Behind her, Adrian hadn’t moved. He stood in the doorway of his study, his expression unreadable, his storm gray eyes locked onto her like a predator watching its prey make a fatal mistake.She should have kept walking. She had to get out. Out of this penthouse. Out of Adrian’s intoxicating hold. Out of the carefully craf
The city stretched beneath Amelia like an endless sea of lights, but she barely noticed. She stood by Sarah’s apartment window, arms wrapped around herself, as she stared at the city through the rain-streaked window, her fingers curled around a cup of tea she hadn’t touched. Her thoughts had become an exhausting cycle of questions, ones she wasn’t sure she wanted the answers to.The walls of Sarah’s apartment closed in around Amelia like a cage. It had been three days since she walked away from Adrian, but the weight of him still pressed against her, a phantom she couldn’t escape, she still felt like she was suffocating under his presence.Why had Adrian waited so long to tell her the truth?Had he ever actually planned to tell her at all?
The world outside the café was loud — car horns, distant chatter, the rustling of autumn leaves caught in the wind. But between them?Only silence.Amelia hated the way her body betrayed her, the way her pulse thrummed wildly just from being this close to him again. Adrian had always had a presence that sucked the air from the room, that demanded attention, demanded submission.And God help her, she was still drawn to him. Even now, even after everything, she wanted him. But that didn’t erase the truth. It didn’t erase his betrayal. It didn’t erase the game he had played with her life.Adrian’s thumb grazed her jaw in a way that sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine. His storm-
Amelia didn’t sleep.She lay in the guest bed at Sarah’s apartment, staring at the ceiling as the city buzzed faintly outside. The sheets felt wrong, too crisp. The room was too quiet, too unfamiliar. Everything about it screamed temporary.She had walked away from Adrian. She had chosen to leave.So why did it feel like she had only left a part of herself behind?No matter how far Amelia ran, no matter how much distance she put between them, she was never really free of Adrian Black. He was everywhere. In her head. In her skin. In her fucking soul.The realization struck her like a slow,
The air between them was thick with something electric, something that had been simmering for too long. No more running. No more fighting. Just this. Just them.Adrian didn’t hesitate. The second Amelia’s lips crashed against his, he pulled her flush against him, his hands gripping her waist with the kind of possession that left no room for doubt. Amelia’s body was already pressed against Adrian’s, the taste of him still on her lips, but it wasn’t enough. The moment their mouths collided, the rest of the world blurred into nothing.His grip on her waist was firm, possessive, like he was staking his claim all over again. And maybe he was. Maybe she wanted him to.She had spent days convincing herself that she could walk away. That she could breat
Adrian Black was not a man who shared. He didn’t tolerate competition. He didn’t believe in second chances. And he sure as hell didn’t like watching another man look at what belonged to him, especially not Amelia.Amelia knew this. She had known it the moment she first met him, the moment she first saw the raw, untamed intensity in his storm-gray eyes. And yet, she couldn’t help herself pushing him, teasing him, testing the very limits of his control every time she got a chance. It was a dangerous thrill she was hopelessly addicted to.That flirtatious street vendor might have been a harmless fool, but Amelia’s teasing? That was deliberate. She knew exactly what she was doing, stoking the fire, pushing him to the edge, daring him to lose control.
Amelia should have known better. Messing with Adrian Black was like playing with fire, dangerous, exhilarating, and bound to leave a mark. And judging by the wicked gleam in his storm-gray eyes, she was about to get burned.Still dangling over his shoulder, dripping from the ice-cold water she had just dumped on him, Amelia kicked her legs in protest. "Adrian! Put me down!"He ignored her, carrying her effortlessly through the villa. His grip on her thighs was firm, possessive, as if she belonged to him like she wasn’t going anywhere until he decided."Adrian," she tried again, squirming.His palm landed on her ass in a sharp, warning slap. "Keep struggling, sweetheart. I dare you."
Sunlight spilled through the sheer curtains, casting a golden glow over the rumpled sheets. Amelia groaned as she stirred. The first thing she registered was warmth. Not just the warmth of silk sheets tangled around her body, or the golden sunlight spilling through the villa’s floor-to-ceiling windows, it was the warmth of him.She stirred, stretching slightly, only to regret it instantly. Every inch of her felt the aftermath of last night, the roughness, the desperation, the way Adrian had absolutely wrecked her, a reminder of exactly what had happened last night.She blinked slowly, disoriented by the brightness, her limbs feeling too heavy to move. The room was quiet except for the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, and a low, amused chuckle that sent shivers down her spine.
"You looked stunning in that dress," Adrian rasped, eyes devouring her.Amelia smirked. "And now?"His gaze darkened, his fingers tracing the bare skin he'd been longing to touch all evening."Now?" His voice was pure sin. "You look ruined just how I like you. Why’re you so fucking beautiful, Amelia?"She looked divine and there was no way to ignore that. He cupped her breasts, reveling at the feel of their heavy weight. He grazed his fingers across her already hard nipples, then he abruptly replaced his fingers with his mouth, kissing and sucking, first one breast then the other.Amelia took Adrian by his hand and led him to the edge of her bed. Then
The dress was indecent.Amelia stared at the deep red silk draped across the bed, its high slits and plunging neckline screaming danger. It wasn’t just revealing, it was a damn invitation to sin.She narrowed her eyes. "You picked this?"Adrian leaned against the doorway, looking infuriatingly pleased with himself. "I have excellent taste.""You mean you have no shame."He smirked. "That too."Amelia grabbed the dress, holding it up. "This barely covers anything."Adrian strolled forward, plucking the fabric from her fingers
The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting golden light over the rumpled sheets and tangled limbs. Amelia stirred, her body aching deliciously in places she hadn’t even known could be sore.A soft groan escaped her lips as she shifted, stretching out against the warmth beside her. Adrian. His arm was draped possessively over her waist, his bare chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He was still asleep, his face relaxed, dark lashes fanned over his sharp cheekbones. Even in sleep, he looked like temptation incarnate.She exhaled slowly, her muscles protesting the movement. Damn him. The night before had been relentless, Adrian had taken his sweet time proving exactly why she should never challenge him. Every whispered promise, every deliberate touch had unraveled her, left her trembling and spent beneath
The midday sun cast a golden glow over the island, the sky an endless stretch of blue, unmarred by even a single cloud. The sound of waves lapping against the shore mixed with the rustling of palm trees in the warm breeze. It was paradise, untouched, isolated, and breathtaking.Amelia adjusted the oversized straw hat on her head. The waves rolled lazily onto the shore, and the golden sand was warm beneath her feet as she made her way to the beach. It was the perfect day, the kind that begged for relaxation, for cool drinks and sunbathing and doing absolutely nothing.So why did she feel so damn restless?Maybe because Adrian Black was still lurking in her mind like a deliciously bad idea. She inhaled deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs, trying to focus on the beauty
The night air was warm, carrying the scent of salt and something subtly floral. The ocean stretched endlessly before them, moonlight rippling over the waves in a hypnotic dance. But Amelia wasn’t looking at the ocean anymore.She was looking at Adrian.He stood impossibly close, his heat pressing into her back, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist as if he had every right to hold her like this. Maybe he did. Maybe she had stopped resisting the moment she stepped onto this island with him."Dangerous habit, sweetheart," he murmured against her ear, his breath feather-light but potent enough to send a shiver down her spine.Amelia swallowed hard, gripping the cool metal railing of the balcony as if it
The private jet was obnoxiously luxurious, which, of course, was to be expected. Adrian Black did nothing halfway.Amelia crossed her legs, pretending to be unimpressed as she took in the sleek leather seats, the polished mahogany accents, and the ridiculous amount of space for just the two of them. A bottle of vintage champagne sat chilling nearby, as if they were about to toast to something extravagant.Adrian, sitting across from her, smirked. "You look tense, sweetheart."She shot him a glare. "I am not tense."He raised a brow, amusement flickering in those storm-gray eyes. "Sure, you’re not." Adrian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Relax. You act like I’m taking you to a remote isl