His velvet obsession
I focused on the pulse jumping in his neck.
"I don't like hurting you, Velvet," he whispered, his voice dropping into a rough,caress. He leaned down, pressing a lingering, soft kiss to my temple. The contrast made my head spin—ruthless one second, tender the next.
I caught sight of Ava leaning against the doorframe. She strolled in as if she hadn't just witnessed my total degradation. Xavier stepped back, the CEO mask sliding back over his features like a shutter.
"Run," he commanded, stepping back. "Thirty laps around the perimeter. If you stop, we start over."