Chapter 3

Zander lifted his head, his mouth glistening as he pulled his tongue from between my legs. His eyes didn’t move away from mine, sharp and heavy like he could see the fear swimming in them. My chest rose and fell in shaky bursts, but he looked calm, almost amused, like my panic entertained him.

He ran his palm down my trembling thigh, his touch slow and deliberate. The warmth of his hand made my skin prickle. Before I could breathe, he leaned forward and cupped one of my breasts, squeezing until I gasped. His thumb brushed over my nipple, rubbing it gently at first, then harder until it ached in a way I didn’t know how to handle. His other hand slid lower, pressing against my clit, his fingers teasing the spot he had just left wet with his tongue.

“Still trembling,” he murmured, his voice low, dangerous. “But your body… It’s begging for me.”

My breath hitched. I wanted to deny it, to scream that he was wrong, but my body betrayed me. Heat spread through me, my thighs clamping together on instinct, though his hand forced them apart.

When his fingers began circling my clit, slow and steady, I bit down hard on my lip to keep from making a sound. Shame flooded me, mixing with something I didn’t want to name. I hated him. I hated the way he touched me. And yet… my body was responding, pulsing with every movement of his hand.

I shook my head, whispering, “Please… stop.”

He leaned close, his breath brushing my ear. “Your mouth says stop, little dove. But your body…” His fingers pressed harder, making me jolt. “Your body doesn’t lie.”

Tears pricked my eyes. My thoughts screamed to push him away, but my hands only gripped the desk, holding me up.

Then—

A sharp knock rattled the office door.

My entire body froze. My blood ran cold, panic gripping my chest. Someone was outside. Someone could walk in and see me like this, naked, legs spread, Zander’s hand between my thighs.

“Boss, it’s Luca,” a voice called.

I stopped breathing.

Zander didn’t even pause. His fingers still moved against my clit like the knock hadn’t happened. He turned his head slightly toward the door, his voice calm, steady.

“Come in.”

My heart nearly stopped. “No,” I whispered in horror, but it was too late.

The door opened, and a tall man stepped inside. His eyes flicked once in my direction, then settled on Zander. His expression didn’t change. It was as if he hadn’t just walked in on me exposed, trembling, Zander’s hand working between my thighs.

“Boss,” the man said flatly. “The Blackheart cartel is planning to retaliate. They’re moving tonight.”

Cartel.

The word echoed in my head like a scream. My stomach dropped. Cartel? My mind raced, piecing everything together. This man who had killed someone that night, the violence, and the danger. He wasn’t just cruel. He was involved in a cartel? Mafia cartel? My blood ran cold as fear knotted in my chest. What had I gotten myself into?

Zander didn’t stop touching me, not even for a second. He only looked at Luca, his tone clipped.

“Then we move first. Gather our men.”

“Yes, Boss.” Luca gave a small nod. His eyes didn’t once wander toward me, as if this was normal. As if women being humiliated in his office was nothing unusual.

My skin burned with shame. My hands trembled, and tears threatened to fall. He was discussing murder and war while his fingers toyed with me, like I was nothing but a distraction under his hand.

Finally, Zander pulled his fingers away. The sudden emptiness made my body shudder with both relief and confusion. He adjusted his suit jacket, his face unreadable, his attention back on business as if I hadn’t just been his plaything.

He glanced at Luca. “Get her clothes.”

“Yes, Boss.”

And without another word, Zander turned and walked out of the office.

I sat there on the desk, my body shaking, my mind spiraling. My clothes were torn, my chest bare, my legs weak. I hated myself. I hated how easily he left me like that. And yet, a part of me whispered with relief that he hadn’t gone further, that he hadn’t taken what I wasn’t ready to give, not to someone as dangerous as his.

Still, another part of me hated myself for the tiny flicker of disappointment I felt.

I slid off the desk, collapsing to the floor with shaky legs. My back pressed against the wooden side, my arms wrapping around myself. I wanted to disappear. My breathing came too fast, too uneven. I stayed hidden there until Luca walked back in, a bundle of clothes in his arms.

He crouched slightly and held them out. His face stayed neutral, like this was nothing. My hands shook as I reached out, taking the clothes from him without meeting his eyes. He didn’t say a word, he just turned and walked out again.

I dressed quickly, my body still trembling. My torn clothes lay on the floor like proof of what had just happened. I shoved them into my bag and slung it over my shoulder. With each step toward the door, my knees felt weaker, but I forced myself to walk.

When I stepped outside, Luca was waiting in the hall. His posture was straight, his hands behind his back like a soldier.

“Boss ordered me to drive you home,” he said plainly.

“I can go home myself,” I muttered, clutching my bag tight. The idea of being in a car with one of Zander’s men made me uneasy.

“No,” he said firmly. “You have to go with me. He gave the order.”

My chest tightened. I wanted to argue, to run, but his expression told me it would be useless. I had no choice. Swallowing hard, I nodded and followed him outside.

My legs shook with every step, though I tried to hide it. The car waited at the curb, sleek and black, and Luca opened the door for me. Sliding into the seat, I forced myself not to show how scared I was.

As he started the engine, I cleared my throat. “I—I-I’m going to my part-time job at the bar,” I said quickly, my voice barely steady. “Not home. Drop me there.”

He glanced at me through the mirror once before nodding. “Where?”

I gave him the address, and he drove without another word. The silence pressed heavily against me, my heart pounding the entire ride.

By the time we reached the bar, my body was drained. I climbed out, muttering a shaky thank you, and hurried inside. The shift passed in a blur. I poured drinks, cleared tables, and smiled when I had to, but my mind wasn’t there.

It was trapped in that office.

In the memory of Zander’s hands.

Fear sat heavily in my chest the entire night. Fear of the kind of man he was. Fear of what I had gotten myself into.

Fear of Zander.