“Are you afraid of him, Daphne?” I asked, as I leaned in closer, so near I could catch the delicate scent of her perfume once more.
My gaze rested on her full, luscious lips, and a strong desire to kiss them overwhelmed me. Being this close to her, smelling her, feeling her presence, made it almost impossible to resist the urge to lift her in one smooth motion, toss her over my shoulder, and carry her off to the nearest bed, where I could lose myself in her.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” she said, lifting her chin. She leaned in, until the scent of her perfume was a physical weight in my lungs. “And you’re vulnerable on the left flank, Thalassios. You guard that leg like it’s a state secret, but I’ve already mapped three ways to take you to the floor. Don’t mistake my presence for surrender.”
I didn't believe her claim of fearlessness, but the sharp, tactical edge in her voice? That, I believed. Why else would a woman like her stay under the complete control of another man?
Daphne was strong, intelligent, and beautiful.
Maybe she needed Zeno a long time ago, when she was a teenager and found herself alone in this world way too soon, but not now.
She was a woman now. She could move through this world effortlessly.
In reality, there was nothing Zeno could offer her that she couldn’t get herself. Her loyalty baffled me.
If Zeno truly had her best interests at heart, he would set her free. But he genuinely seemed to take pleasure in the control he had over her.
Why couldn’t she see that I was different? I was offering her a different life.
I didn't want to set her free.
Freedom was a lie in a city like this. I wanted to tear her from Zeno's grip and lock her in mine. I wanted to show her that if she was going to be owned, she should be owned by the man who truly knew the value of what he held.
All she had to do was take the first step.
“If you aren’t afraid of him, then tell me why you stay." I clenched her arm tighter, my words bubbling with anger and frustration I was barely controlling.
“Because I haven’t found a good enough reason to leave yet.”
“I’m giving you that!” I insisted.
“The opportunity to work with you? To become the enemy of the man who helped me when I needed it most? What kind of woman do you think I am, Thal?”
“I see so much potential in you, Daphne,” I hissed.
Her eyes flashed with anger.
“Sure you do, Thal. But that is if I’m by your side, is that right?” she snapped. “You’re trying to use me to hurt Zeno, that’s all! You don’t give a fuck about me!”
Her words left me speechless.
How could she think such a thing? My eyes widened in disbelief, and my head spun. How could I make her see how wrong she was? How could I show her she was so much more than a tool to hurt Zeno?
My lips pressed against hers before the thought had even fully formed in my mind.
I didn't wait for her permission. I didn't need it. I crashed my mouth into hers, a brutal, demanding claim that tasted of expensive whiskey and years of wasted longing. .
I expected her to fight. I wanted her to fight. But when I felt her small, sharp intake of breath against my lips, it wasn't a protest. It was an invitation.
I tangled my hand in her hair, the silk of it wrapping around my fingers as I tilted her head back to expose the elegant line of her throat. My other hand slid down the silver sequins of her dress, the cold metal of the fabric contrasting with the scorching heat of her skin, until I found the curve of her hip.
I hauled her flush against me, letting her feel exactly how much she affected me. The hard, heavy ache in my slacks throbbed against her thigh, a primal rhythm she couldn't ignore.
My tongue invaded, pushing past her teeth to sweep through her mouth with bruising pressure that demanded total surrender. I wanted the very secrets she was trying to keep from Zeno.
When she let out that broken, thrumming moan, the sound vibrated straight into my groin, setting my blood boiling. For a heartbeat, the rooftop disappeared. There was no Vegas, no syndicates, no Zeno. There was only the slick, wet friction of her mouth on mine and the way she molded her soft curves into my hard edges as if she were finally home. I could feel her heart hammering against my chest, matching the frantic pulse in my veins.
But the storm I’d ignited was too big for her to control. She suddenly gasped, her palms slamming into my chest with the strength of pure panic.
