6.

Callista

“What if we…?” The words barely made it out of my mouth before they tangled with my breath and died somewhere between my lips and his chest.

My heart slammed hard against my ribs like it was trying to escape me.

My thoughts spiraled so fast I could barely catch one. What if we did? What if I had sex with this stranger?

I dragged my palm across my face, wiping away the thin sheen of sweat gathering on my skin. My fingers trembled. I felt hot.

He shifted in front of me, casually, like he wasn’t unraveling me piece by piece. His muscles flexed like he knew exactly what he was doing. Is he trying to seduce me?

“You were literally begging me,” he said, his voice low, almost amused. “Begging me to bury my cock in that juicy wet pussy.”

My breath hitched. My stomach twisted.

“No…” I whispered, but even to my own ears, it didn’t sound convincing.

He stepped closer. His fingers came up to my chin, gripping it firmly, forcing my face up to his. Not painfully but not gently either.

“I didn’t fuck you….I only teased that Coochie,” he continued, his eyes locking onto mine. “You were out of it but I'm a gentleman.”

Did he just call himself a gentleman? That means he's the opposite.

His thumb brushed just slightly against my lower lip, and my entire body reacted in a way that made absolutely no sense.

“Maybe,” he added, his voice dropping even lower, rougher now, “when you’re back to your senses…”

I swallowed hard.

My body betrayed me. Heat pooled low in my stomach, my thighs pressing together instinctively. My skin responded to him and down there was getting cold. Who the hell was this man?

And why did I feel like I was standing too close to a fire I couldn’t walk away from?

He kept staring at me like he was trying to read something beneath my skin. Like I was a puzzle he hadn’t quite figured out yet.

I wanted to say something to break whatever tension was suffocating the room.

But then his phone rang.

The sharp sound sliced through the moment, and just like that, his attention shifted. His expression hardened instantly, like a switch had been flipped.

He stepped back, answering the call without breaking eye contact with me.

“Yes.”

His tone changed from calm to dangerous.

I watched him as he spoke, pacing slightly, his free hand slipping into his towel and playing with his fucking huge cock which I got a glance of….MISTAKENLY…I guess…hmmm. I couldn’t make out everything he said, but certain words slipped through.

“Deal… shipment… tonight… no mistakes.”

A chill crawled up my spine.

Who was this man?

He glanced at me briefly and gestured toward the table behind me.

“Eat,” he mouthed silently.

Then, more firmly, he pointed. “Don’t go anywhere.”

He turned away, still speaking into the phone, and walked out of the room. The door shut behind him with a soft but final click.

I let out a shaky breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Holy hell…” I whispered under my breath, my voice barely audible in the now silent room. “Who the hell is that?”

My legs felt weak as I finally sat down, my hands resting on my thighs, trying to steady myself.

Think. Callista, think.

I forced myself to breathe in slowly.

Then it hit me. Isn’t this… abduction?

My head snapped up as the realization settled in.

My chest tightened.

He kissed me in public like everything was normal. Like I wasn’t in danger. But what if that was the point?

What if it was all a performance so no one would suspect anything?

My heart started racing again, faster this time, panic creeping in like a rising tide.

I looked around the room properly now, taking everything in.

And airball, everything screamed money. Not just money. Ridiculous money.

The furniture, the decor, even the damn curtains looked like they cost more than my my decor.

My eyes landed on a painting hanging on the wall, and my breath caught.

No way. It looked like The Starry Night. The texture, the depth, the frame makes it look original.

My stomach dropped.

I remembered once back when life was simpler, how I had obsessed over rare art pieces, how I’d spent hours researching them, dreaming about seeing them up close.

And now one was just… hanging here.

Like it was nothing.

“Okay…” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “So he’s rich.”

I glanced toward the door he had walked through.

“With that body,” I scoffed quietly, trying to distract myself, “he looks like he lives in a gym, not behind a desk.”

And yet… everything about him screamed money.

He didn’t look like someone who struggled. He looked like someone who owned things, people and situations.

I shook my head quickly, trying to snap myself out of it.

I stood up abruptly, my gaze darting back to the table where he had placed the food.

My eyes narrowed. “What if it’s spiked?” I whispered, suspicion creeping in.

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed. My phone. Where the hell was my phone? I spun around, scanning the room frantically…he had it.

Okay.

Okay.

First step…get out. I took a slow breath and moved toward the door, my feet careful, hesitant.

But just as I reached it a memory hit me. His body pressed against mine.

My breath hitched again. I squeezed my eyes shut briefly. Even in my half-drunk state, I remembered how he felt. How safe and dangerous at the same time.

I shook my head again, harder this time. “Focus, Callista,” I muttered.

I reached for the door handle and turned it, it clicked and ipened.

My eyes widened. “What the…”

He didn’t lock it? It was like I wished he locked me up.

“The idiot forgot to lock the door.”

I pushed the door open slightly, peeking out. My heart pounded louder now, adrenaline rushing through me.

I should run but…

My grip tightened on the door.

The way he looked at me, a dangerous, reckless thought crept in. A part of me… didn’t want to leave. A part of me wanted him to come back and to take control again.

To make me forget everything…my problems, my fears, Daelen… everything.

I swallowed hard, my body betraying me again with that same unwanted heat. What the hell is wrong with me?

I pressed my forehead briefly against the door. “This isn’t a joke,” I whispered harshly to myself. “He could be a kidnapper.”

This isn’t the time to get distracted by some… hot psychopath. I exhaled slowly.