Chapter 07

IRIS POV:

I kissed him back, hungry and desperate, like all the fear and confusion from the night had turned into this one burning need.

He backed me gently toward the huge bed behind us. His body pressed into mine, hard and warm through the thin towel. One thigh slipped between my legs, giving me something to press against.

I gasped into his mouth at the sudden friction. Pleasure sparked inside me, making my knees weak.

His fingers found the knot at the top of the towel. With one slow tug, he loosened it. The thick fabric slipped from my body and pooled at my feet, leaving me completely bare in front of him.

I didn’t have time to feel embarrassed.

My wolf purred inside me. She was enjoying it.

His hands were already on me, sliding over my waist, up my ribs, his thumbs brushing the undersides of my breasts. He cupped them gently, then more firmly, his thumbs circling my nipples until they ached. A low moan escaped my mouth. My back arched, pressing myself harder into his touch.

He kissed my neck lightly. One hand stayed on my breast while the other drifted lower, fingers tracing the curve of my hip, then dipping between my thighs.

But then reality crashed back. It was like I snapped back to myself.

This was wrong. He was a stranger, a dangerous one. And I had just run from one man. I wasn’t about to hand myself over to another.

With a sharp gasp, I shoved against his chest.

He stumbled back one step, surprise flashing across his face.

I didn’t wait. I picked up the towel. I spun and ran for the door, my bare feet slapping against the cool marble. My wet hair whipped against my shoulders.

I yanked the handle, and the door opened.

I burst out of the room.

But before I disappeared around the corner, I couldn’t help it. I looked back.

Aurelian stood exactly where I had left him.

He wasn’t chasing. He wasn’t angry.

He was frozen. I had never seen a face so shocked. He looked like I was never supposed to stop him.

His eyes were wide, his mouth slightly open, the golden glow fading slowly from his irises, leaving them storm-gray again.

Then the door swung shut behind me, cutting him off from view.

I pressed my back against the hallway wall. I hurriedly wrapped the towel around myself.

My body still hummed where he had touched me.

But I was free, for now.

And he was still in there, probably staring at the closed door, wondering how I was able to resist him.

I stood there, confused about where I should run to. His bodyguards were everywhere. I felt safer when he was there, but now I don’t know what’s safe anymore.

I ran down the hallway.

But upon reaching a corner, I bumped into a man in a black suit. I looked up at him. He had broad shoulders and long black hair scattered around his face.

“What the?”

He looked at me in confusion.

“Where do you think you're going?” he growled, grabbing me by the arms.

“Let go of me,” I pleaded, trying to pull away, but it was no use. He was way bigger and stronger.

He pulled me back to Aurelian’s room.

As we reached the door, he released my hands.

“Stay here if you want to get out of here alive,” he commanded.

I obeyed, standing still with the towel wrapped around my body.

“Boss, you in there?”

“Boss, you in there?” he called again.

There was a pause.

Then, from inside the room, Aurelian’s voice came calmly.

“Leave her.”

The bodyguard straightened immediately. “Yes, Boss.”

He gave me one last warning look before stepping aside and walking down the hallway, his polished shoes echoing against the marble floor until the sound faded.

I stood frozen. He knew what the guard was here for already.

The door clicked open slowly.

Aurelian stepped out.

He had changed. I noticed there were a few tears in his eyes he tried to hide.

His eyes moved over me once.

“Go in and change into something, and you can be on your way,” he commanded.

I tightened the towel around myself as I watched him walk down the hallway.