chapter 4

ISABELLA~

I didn't wait for a response. I wrenched my arm free and bolted. I heard his exclamation of surprise before he ran after me. My eyelids were growing heavier, and I could feel the strength leeching out of my limbs. I could hear him right behind me, almost catching up. I ran into the hall, doing my best to blend with the crowd. But my heart was pounding too fast and I couldn't breathe properly. I knew I was going to drop like a brick soon, and then that guy would find me. I needed somewhere to hide. Somewhere safe.

I ran between tables, or staggered rather, holding onto everything I could touch just to keep myself moving. I didn't bother asking anybody for help. It would mean trusting a stranger with my unconscious self, and from the way people were looking at me, I could tell they thought I was just drunk. None of them were going to help me.

Finally, I found the hallway and stumbled into it, trying doors as I went on. Most of them were locked. Finally, one opened, and I dragged myself in, shutting the door behind me. I tried to look around, but my eyes were falling shut. I ended up just stumbling to the bed and falling in. I was out cold the moment my head hit the pillow. Or at least I thought I was.

I seemed to lose time for a moment before I was suddenly awaking, gasping for air in a pool of soaked sheets.

I was sweating so hard, my clothes had glued themselves to my skin. Which was odd because the weather tonight was very cold. Also, the air conditioner was cranked all the way on. I lifted my hands to my face, only to find that I was burning up, as if I had a raging fever. It was unbearable. It felt like there was fire crackling right underneath my skin, and the more I tried to ignore it, the worse it got. I couldn't stop myself from thrashing about, scratching at my skin like that would get the fire out of it. The heat was moving downwards too, pooling in my lower belly and between my thighs.

That was when it hit me.

'There was something else in that drink.'

His plan wasn't just to knock me out so he could kidnap me. The bastard went and drugged me with an aphrodisiac too.

I gritted my teeth in anger.

I was going to kill that bastard the next time I saw him.

I was going to rip—

A sudden surge of heat shot through me, and I couldn't bite back a whimper. I rubbed my thighs together in an effort to ease the ache, but it just made it worse.

My clothes were becoming unbearable. Everywhere they touched my skin, it was like being scratched with a hundred hot needles. It was so frustrating that I just began to pull them off. The cool air hit my bare skin, but it brought no relief. Instead, the contrast between heat and cold seemed to worsen the lust pulsing through my body. I was going to burst if this continued any longer.

As if on cue, the door opened and a man walked in, distractedly shrugging off his blazer. He locked the door behind him and headed into the en suite bathroom, so lost in thought that he didn't even see me.

He seemed… agitated about something.

A sudden thought began to worm its way into my mind. That bastard might have drugged me, but how I deal with it is going to be my choice. Or rather, who would deal with it. This guy would do… as long as he was up for it.

When the owner of the room stepped out of the bathroom, he took one look at me and froze. While thrashing about, I had stripped myself down to my underwear, and my hair had fallen out of its pins to pool around my shoulders. I could only imagine what I looked like right now. His eyes had gone dark, his breathing shallow as he stared at me. Only then did I get a good look at him. It was Alan Scott, the youngest man on the team. The prodigy Isaac had enlisted just months ago. Funny, I've never noticed just how hot he was. With skin that dusky shade of gold and those full lips that I couldn't help wondering how they'd taste—

"How did you get in here?" he demanded.

But he didn't sound angry.

He sounded breathless, and he still couldn't take his eyes off my body. Emboldened, I stood up and walked to him, pressing my body flush against his as I leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Do you not want me here?"

He shuddered, bringing his hands up to my shoulders as if to push me away. But he didn't. He just pulled me back enough so that my face was tilted up to his.

"What do you want?" he asked, and his voice came out hoarse.

"Your touch," I whispered, and I watched his eyes grow even darker.

A shiver of anticipation went through me.

I pressed myself tighter against him, and I could already feel him growing hard through his suit trousers. He let out a groan, and then his lips were on mine.

Every single thought flew out of my head.

I had kissed men before, but all of that suddenly felt like child's play compared to this. This was fireworks, this was electricity singing through my spine.

His hand slid into my hair, fingers wrapping my dark locks around his fist as his tongue tangled with mine. I let my hands roam, mapping his broad shoulders, his muscular biceps, his washboard abs.

I moaned into his mouth, wrapping my legs around his waist. The next moment, we tumbled into bed. I felt his lips on the inside of my thigh, then everything else was a haze of pleasure.

*********

I woke up slowly the next morning, squinting against the sunlight filtering in through the window. My thighs rubbed together as I stretched, and I relished that delicious soreness between them.

"Awake?" a male voice spoke.

I jolted, turning to the man who was tangled up in sheets beside me. I frowned at the sight of him, then blinked to be sure I was seeing this right. I took in the intense green eyes, the freckled shoulders, the day old stubble.

Why the hell was I in bed with Isaac Moretti???