LOGINI stayed wrapped in Marcus’s arms for a long time. The leather of the sofa was sticky against my skin, and the air in the guest house felt heavy and sweet with the smell of what we had just done. My heart was still racing. I looked up at the ceiling and smiled. I wasn't the little girl next door anymore. I was a woman who had just been claimed by a giant.Marcus pulled back a little and looked at me. His eyes were softer now, but there was still a spark of hunger in them. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from my face."You okay, Maya?" he whispered. His voice was like a low rumble of thunder. "I didn't hurt you, did I? I know I'm... a lot."I laughed a little and pulled him back down for a kiss. "You're perfect, Marcus. I've never felt so alive. I don't want to go back to my house. Not yet."Round Two: The LessonMarcus sat up and pulled me onto his lap. I sat facing him, my legs wrapped around his thick waist. Being this close to him while we were both naked made my s
My name is Maya. Yesterday was my eighteenth birthday. For years, I had to listen to everyone tell me what to do. "Maya, study hard." "Maya, be a good girl." "Maya, stay away from trouble." But as I looked at myself in the mirror on a hot Saturday night, all I wanted was trouble.My parents had left an hour ago for their weekend trip to the mountains. The house was big, empty, and quiet. But I wasn't alone on the property. Marcus was here.Marcus is my dad’s best friend. He is thirty-five years old, and he’s staying in our guest house for the summer while he finishes some business in the city. He is a tall man with skin the color of dark chocolate and muscles that look like they were carved out of stone. He played professional football for years, and it shows. When he walks, the ground seems to shake. When he speaks, his voice is so deep I can feel it in my stomach.To him, I was always just "Little Maya." He used to give me high-fives and buy me ice cream. But I’m eighteen now. I’m a
The private jet landed softly on a small, dark runway surrounded by palm trees. The air that rushed into the cabin when the door opened was hot, thick, and smelled like salt and flowers. Lila stepped out onto the stairs, her legs still feeling like jelly from the six-hour flight. She was wearing her silver dress again, but it felt wrong now. It felt like a cage.Julian walked behind her. He had changed into a pair of thin linen pants and nothing else. His tanned chest was bare, showing the hard muscles that had been pounding against Lila all night. He looked like the king of this island."There is a villa at the end of this path," Julian said, his voice dropping into that deep, velvet tone. "It is private. No staff. No phones. Just the ocean and us. And on this island, Lila, you have no name. You are just mine."Lila looked at the white sand and the dark water. She felt a shiver of excitement go down her spine. The "lessons" had led to this. The office, the penthouse, the gala, and th
Lila walked back into the ballroom, her legs feeling heavy and weak. Every step she took made the silver fabric of her dress rub against her sensitive skin. She could still feel the warmth of Julian inside her, a thick and heavy reminder of what had just happened on that wooden table. She found a spot near the bar and ordered a glass of water, her hands shaking so much the ice clinked against the glass.Five minutes later, Julian appeared. He looked perfectly calm, as if he hadn't just been roaring like an animal in a dark room. He stood next to her and ordered a scotch. He didn't look at her, but his shoulder brushed against hers."The gala is over for us," he whispered, his voice low and smooth. "My car is waiting outside. We’re going to the airport."Lila’s heart skipped a beat. "The airport? Now?""I told you, Lila," Julian said, finally turning to look at her. His eyes were dark and full of a new kind of hunger. "I want you all to myself. No gala, no offices, no city. Just the is
The Grand Ballroom was filled with the smell of expensive perfume, lilies, and old money. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making everything sparkle. Men in black tuxedos and women in long, flowing dresses walked around, sipping champagne and talking about stocks and law.Lila felt like a secret bomb waiting to go off.She was wearing a silver dress that looked like liquid metal. It was backless and reached all the way to the floor. Underneath the silver fabric, she was completely bare. No bra, no panties. Just her skin and the memory of Julian.Julian was standing in the middle of a group of powerful men. He looked like a king. His black tuxedo was perfect, and his hair was slicked back. To everyone else, he was the brilliant Mr. Sterling. But Lila knew the truth. She knew the way he growled when he came. She knew the weight of him.Julian caught her eye from across the room. He didn't smile. He just looked at her, his eyes dark and hungry. He raised his glass to her,
The elevator was made of glass and gold. As it zipped up to the top floor of the tallest building in the city, Lila could see the lights of the world below getting smaller and smaller. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might pop out of her chest. She was wearing a red dress that was so tight it felt like a second skin. Underneath, she wore nothing at all. She wanted to be ready for him.The elevator doors opened directly into Julian’s penthouse. The room was huge. It had white marble floors, black leather furniture, and windows that went from the floor to the ceiling. The whole city was looking in, but no one could see them up here.Julian was standing at a small bar, pouring a glass of dark liquid. He had already taken off his tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing his strong, hairy forearms. When he heard the elevator, he didn't turn around."You're exactly on time, Lila," he said. "I like that in a girl. It shows she’s hun
The sun was just starting to come up, but the heat in my bedroom hadn't gone away. If anything, it felt even hotter now. Marcus was lying next to me, his massive arm draped over my waist. I looked at him in the early light. He looked like a giant. His skin was bronze, covered in sweat and ta
The sun was just starting to peek through the curtains of the bedroom. It was a warm, golden light that hit the big, soft bed where Dante and Elena slept. Today was a very special day. It was their anniversary. They had been married for five years, but to Dante, every day with Elena felt like
The university was dark. Most of the students had gone home because of the heavy rain, but I was still sitting in the back of the library. I couldn't focus on my books. All I could think about was Professor Elias.He was thirty-two, tall, and always wore these expensive suits that fit him per
The next day in class was a nightmare. I sat in the front row, just like always. I watched Professor Elias talk about history, but I wasn't listening to his words. I was looking at his hands. I was thinking about those hands on my skin. I was thinking about the way he looked when he lost control.E







