Page 26 of Secret Dynasty

“Love you,” he murmured, his eyes burning into mine.

“After everything?”

“Some things change. Some things don’t.” His head swiveled to the side, breaking eye contact with me.

“If you’re sure…” I moved my hand to his chest, placing it in the center. His heart hammered against my palm, proof that he was affected as I was.

He covered my hand with his, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment, before he pushed it away. “Don’t do this.”

“Do what?” I pressed.

“Tempt me.”

“You’re tempted?” I asked breathlessly. “Then give in. I know what I want.”

“You’re still wearing his ring,” he bit out, but he moved closer. His chest brushed against the swell of my breasts and desire flooded through me, pooling in my core.

“I’ll take it off,” I offered, tilting my head up to him. “I’ll take everything off.”

Holden angled his face over mine, so close that I felt his next words on my own lips. “Leave with me.”

Chapter Fourteen

His words send my heart racing, but I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“Exactly,” he said. He pulled away and walked to the door. He stood by it expectantly.

I left in a huff, equal parts frustrated and embarrassed. I found the nearest bathroom. Locking myself inside, I slipped off my skirt and touched myself. But I was too worked up to get off. I wanted him. I couldn’t explain it exactly. And I knew nothing would satisfy me until I had him.

By the time I’d stepped out of the loo, I’d managed to compose myself. But even if I looked put together, inside desire raged. I wanted Holden because he rejected me. That was the only sane reason I kept throwing myself at him. Deep down, though, I knew it was more complicated than that. I was drawn to Holden, pulled to him with an undeniable magnetism that I couldn’t explain. But every time we got close, he changed the rules and repelled me with an equally strong force.

That left me so pissed I wanted to scream and so turned on I’d nearly touched myself in the loo just to get relief. I’d refrained because I knew that he’d enjoy that too much. If Holden discovered I’d gotten off after our brief encounter, it would only boost his ego more. That left me with no choice but to deny myself.

Denying myself was proving harder than I expected. The relentless tick between my legs felt like a bomb that might detonate at any moment. I pressed my thighs together, taking small steps, so that my skirt barely moved. I didn’t think I could handle even the scrape of fabric on my thighs at the moment. Before I could reach the stairs to head back down to the reception, Spencer appeared on the top step.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, his eyes hidden in the evening shadows. “Where did you run off to?”

“I needed a minute. There’s a lot of people down there.” It was an easy excuse to sell because it was true. I’d trotted and pranced and performed for all of them to see.

“Tell me about it.” He took the last step, bringing his full height to tower over me. “Can I tell you a secret?”

I bit my lip and nodded, but instead of speaking, he reached for my hand. Tugging me down the hall, he stopped and glanced around us, before pulling me into an empty bedroom. He didn’t bother to shut the door.

“What is it?” I asked, my gaze drifting to the large bed in the center of the room.

“I spent the whole funeral thinking about fucking you,” he said in a raspy voice that made me suck in a deep breath.

The pulse at my core throbbed harder. I tried to ignore it, but my body overrode my objections.

Spencer trailed a finger along my jaw. Despite everything, his touch still captivated me. “Do you want me to show you what I was picturing while the priest was giving his sermon?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Spencer tssked as if he didn’t approve. “That wasn’t very convincing.”

He wanted me to beg like I had in the hotel. A sick realization took hold of me. When we first met, he told me that I would give myself to him. He said he would never have to take me against my will. I thought he got off on the idea of turning me on, but that wasn’t what this was about.

Spencer wanted power. He got off on watching me beg, because he saw it as humiliation. He loved control, but he loved stripping mine away even more.