Chapter 2

I was freaking out. If Yannick managed to escape, everything I had done would have been for nothing. So, I shut my eyes and tackled him. "Don’t move! Just listen to me!"

Yannick gritted his teeth so hard it looked like he was about to snap them in half. "Are you out of your mind?"

I lifted my head slightly, our faces barely four inches apart. "Nope. I'm not crazy."

"Then what do you think you’re doing?"

I smirked. "I dragged you onto the bed. What do you think I want to do?"

His pupils shrank, his disgust so obvious he did not even bother to hide it. "Yulia! I’m Yannick!" He practically snarled at me. "Do you even have some dignity left?!"

I did not feel like listening to his lecture, so I grabbed the closest soft thing off the nightstand and shoved it into his mouth. Ignoring the flames burning in his eyes, I met his glare with my own. "Shut up."

Yannick struggled against me, but it was useless. At that moment, my heart was slamming against my ribs like a drum.

"I’m gonna kiss you. Don’t interrupt me."

I yanked the thing out of his mouth and, before he could say a single word, crashed my lips against his. My fingers scrambled for his shirt, buttons popping off one by one and hitting the floor. I felt like a survivor running from the end of the world—desperate, frantic, and unwilling to stop.

My emotions were a mess, spilling over as Yannick let out low, breathless grunts beneath me.

I remembered what Quella Martinez once said—men only thought with their private parts when they were in bed. Sure enough, as I got more aggressive, he stopped yelling at me. All I heard were those small, muffled sounds.

When it was over, his face was flushed red like he had just been utterly humiliated. I didn't want to look at him, so I grabbed my clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Yulia!"

I sighed and turned around. "What now?"

His eyes burned with fury. "If you’ve got the guts, then let me go."

I hesitated for half a second before smirking.

"I won't. Not just yet."

…

After I showered, I was going to head back to my room. But then I remembered something—Yannick Jordan had abs, and they were rock solid.

So, naturally, I turned right back around and went to the guest room. He was still awake, staring blankly at the ceiling like some poor frog about to get dissected in science class. The second he saw me, he gritted his teeth. "Let me go!"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Do you have any shame at all? What are you even getting out of this? Did your mom never teach you how to act like a decent human being?"

Oof. That one stung. He did that on purpose.

I pressed my lips together and didn’t bother answering. Instead, I walked forward. Then, I kicked off my slippers, climbed onto the bed, covered his mouth.

His brows furrowed together, and he was about to start yelling again, so I reached out and clamped my hand over his mouth.

"Shut up and listen. I’ve known you for 11 years, and I’ve liked you for ten. I tried to let go, but I couldn’t. I know you don’t like me. But people say love is about taking action, right? So, that's what I did. I’m not letting you go, and no amount of struggling is gonna change that."

My eyes were burning, but I didn’t let the tears fall. I just leaned down and kissed him.

His lips were thin, cool, and had a faint taste of mint.

I was already exhausted, but even then, I could feel his body reacting. Lifting my head, I smirked. "Still pretending to be some cold, untouchable CEO? Please. You’re just like everyone else."

The noises he made that night had my entire face burning, but… I had zero regrets.

…

When I woke up the next morning, he was already awake. At least he did not look like he had just been tortured this time. Small victories counted too.

The moment I moved, his voice came out deep and hoarse. "Let me go."

"Nope."

He let out a sigh, then changed tactics. "Yulia, what do you want?" His voice was slow, deliberate. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?"

I held up my fingers. "Seven days."

He blinked, just staring at me.

"You do realize this is illegal, right?" He let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head. "Do you have any idea how many people are looking for me? If I suddenly disappear, do you honestly think you can keep me here for an entire week?"

I stood at the edge of the bed, my feet felt glued to the floor.