Swallowing deeply, I open my mouth and ask, “Why did you leave her?”

Calculating eyes meet mine and narrow. He reaches down my body and starts to undo my pants.

“I want to fuck you,” he tells me.

I know what he’s doing, and I’m determined to make him talk. “Why did you leave her, Phillipe?”

His jaw clenches, as he looks to my left, staring at the image of Chantel hanging in silence.

“Shut up.” He growls as he pulls down the zipper of my pants.

Belatedly, I realize that I can’t. I’m finally breaking through, pushing him into a place he doesn’t want to go, and I’m relentless. Like a bloodhound, I can smell when I’m close.

I stop his busy hands. “Tell me.”

Glaring at me fiercely, he hisses, “Fuck you.”

I shake my head against the wall. I know he’s lost. He’s not thinking about anything now, except losing himself. The only way he thinks he can purge the memory is by fucking it away.

“So what, Phillipe? Are you going to rip down my pants and fuck me against the wall right beside her?”

His eyes flame, and his breathing increases. Twisted as it is, I find that I’m getting off on his fury. The angrier he gets, the more aroused I become.

“You’re going to fuck the blonde right in front of her to finally prove that she had a right to be angry.”

His fist slams against the wall near my head next to the side of the frame. “Shut the fuck up, Gemma!”

Reaching out to press my hand against his pants, I grip his cock hard.

“Is that why you hurt yourself? Do you think you let her down that night?” Squeezing him a little tighter, I glare right back at him. “If she were here, would I even exist to you?”

Licking his lips, his eyes blaze into mine. “You already know the answer to that.”

“And you want to fuck me anyway. Why?”

Tearing my pants apart roughly, he pushes my hand away from him, slamming it up against the wall beside my head.

“Because I can’t fucking help myself.”

Taking my mouth with all the violence I can see swirling in his eyes, I can feel his teeth on my lower lip. He bites it right before thrusting his tongue deep inside. Moaning against his lips, I arch my hips toward him, trying to get him closer. I raise my free hand to touch his side, but he clutches it, securing it on the opposite side of my head.

He tears his mouth away from mine, and I tremble at the lust I see burning in his eyes.

“Now what, Gemma? You got anything else you want to say?”

Panting hard, my breasts strain against the fabric of my bra as I think about my next question. I can tell that he thinks he’s won. He thinks that he’s pushed me beyond my questioning but not this time. This time, I want to know. This time, I want an answer.

“I want to know why you left her.”

Releasing my hands immediately as though I’m a hot flame, he steps away from me and drops his eyes to where I’m propped up against the wall half undressed. With my eyes locked on his, he looks beside me, his eyes trailing over her in the Sacred pose.

I feel my own anger rise. “Why did you fucking leave her, Phillipe?”

Bringing his eyes back to mine, he swallows and simply replies, “I wanted to see if I could.”

Making it crystal clear that he has no problem doing so with me, he walks quietly out of the room.

* * *

Left standing in the shadows while the music from the next room still filters through, I reach out and clasp both sides of my blouse, covering my body, as I crouch down to pull my pants back up. I can feel tears threatening to spill.

I can’t believe that I have let him reduce me to this—a person who is aroused by anger, a person who almost willingly let a man have sex with me just to find release. I hate what is happening to me, yet I can’t stop myself.

Sucking in a breath of air, I try to compose myself. Running a shaky hand through my hair, I step away from the wall. I walk over to the journal lying on the floor and bend down to pick it up. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move in the shadows.

Somewhere deep inside of me, I know that if she were to be anywhere, it would be here, but thinking it and feeling it are two different things. Gripping the leather-bound book, I stand and turn to face the wall. The six images hanging there silently mock me.

“He wasn’t with her that night,” I say aloud.

I shake my head at myself. What the hell am I doing? Now, I’m reassuring her?

I can’t explain why, but it feels imperative for her to know this. So, like a fucking crazy person, I whisper, “He couldn’t even be with me.”

I turn and start to make my way out. Just as I reach the door joining the music room, I hear her laugh coming from the still playing CD and I swear I hear, He already was.

Chapter  Twenty-One ~ Possess

Like the hounds of hell are after me, I run up the stairs two at a time. I turn sharply into the hall, heading back up to my piece of privacy in this place. When I start to make my way past his room, the door swings open. He reaches out and grabs my arm, pulling me inside.

As I’m tugged into the pitch dark, I hear the door slam, as my back is thrown against it. I can’t see anything. I’ve gone from a brightly lit space to complete inky darkness. All I can hear is breathing—his breathing and mine. Without a sound uttered, I feel his hands reach down my body to grip the journal I’m still hanging on to.

“Give it to me,” he demands softly.

I relinquish my hold, and I hear a soft thump. I know he has dropped it on the floor. I can barely make him out in front of me, so I can’t see the expression on his face, but the mood in the room is tense. I’m disturbed, and he’s explosive.

His fingers start to trace down, whisper soft, from my temples to my cheekbones. He reaches my jaw, and then his mouth is there. Lips to skin, he presses a soft gentle kiss to the right side of my jaw. His touch is in direct contrast to the waves of agitation I feel rolling off of him. As he shifts, a small burst of air ruffles my hair. He’s planted his palms on both sides of my head. I can feel my traitorous body pulsating as my pussy starts to throb.

I’m turned on. This mysterious and intimidating man has me pinned to his bedroom door, surrounded by shadows, and I can’t help but want him inside of me.

“If you want to leave, leave now.”

The warning in his voice rumbles over my tightly strung nerves. When I make no move to go, he lets out a chuckle that’s low, disturbing, and God help me, sexier than anything I have ever heard.

“In that case, while you’re in here, you are mine.”

I can’t help the needy sigh that leaves me as his mouth moves above mine. His warm breath floats across my lips.

“Do you want to be mine?”

I close my eyes. He’s fucking with me now. I know I can’t be his. He knows he can’t offer that to me, but he seems to like playing this fucked-up game. When I don’t respond, that wicked chuckle escapes again as he brings one of his hands down to tug apart my ripped blouse. His warm palm cups my breast and squeezes it tightly.

“Spread your legs,” he commands gruffly.

The hand at my breast slides down my body to palm my aching mound, pressing firmly against it.

“Are you ready for me, Gemma? Did arguing with me make your pussy wet? It made my cock hard, and now, I want to put it in you. What do you think about that?”

Pushing my hips out to him, I bite my bottom lip in an attempt to keep my mouth shut. It’s almost embarrassing how ready I am. While his strong hand grinds my covered flesh, he lowers his head, brushing his lips on my ear.

“Now then, no one is in here to watch me fuck the blonde. So, what do you say, Gemma? Are you going to let me get in between your long, sexy legs?”

I moan and feel my lips part as his arm wraps around my waist and his hand rubs over my ass. He tugs my body forward, pushing his hard cock against me.

“Or maybe you want me here, hmm?”

I feel my heart accelerate at the implication.

“No answers from you? You were so talkative only minutes ago. What happened?”

Refusing to answer, I reach out with determined hands. I smooth them up and over his shoulders where I grip him, drawing him down to me. His mouth opens over mine, and immediately, his tongue is inside my mouth. I grasp his shoulders tightly, feeling my body weep as his tongue rubs against my own sinuously.

I’m going crazy. I want this man to possess me. I want him inside of me. I want him any way I can get him.

Feeling his sweater under my hands, I find I’m getting frustrated because I want skin. I want him. Pulling my mouth from his, I pant. “Take this off.”

Releasing me, he steps back as I remain propped against the door. Not wanting to waste any time, I undo my pants and push them off along with my panties. After stepping out of them, I stand back up, and he’s there in front of me. He gets as close to me as possible, and I feel his naked body on mine. His engorged length presses into my stomach while his hands move back up to frame both sides of my head. He dips his legs and drags his cock back and forth against me.

My hands move up to his shoulders again, gripping hard, while I grind my needy body against him. That’s when I feel his hands move under my ass, clutching each cheek tightly, as he hauls me up. My legs automatically wrap around his waist.

“Yes,” he hisses out. “Wrap those long, glorious legs around me, Gemma. Hold on tight.”

I do as I’m told and cling my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist. My sensitive breasts crush against him as he pivots and walks us through the darkness to the bed, where he lays me down across the soft mattress. Following me, he presses me into the pillow top. Bracing his hands on the sides of my head, he pushes himself up while grinding his stiff shaft against me.

“I can smell your arousal, Gemma. You smell fucking delicious.” Leaning down over me, he whispers against my mouth, “Let me taste.”

My lips part as I nod.

“No. Bring it to me. Offer yourself.”

I can hear ringing in my ears as the blood rushes through my head while the erotic request penetrates my lust-addled brain. Slowly, I reach down between our bodies, stopping at the apex of my thighs.

“Like this?” I ask. I find myself anxious to please him, so he can ease my ache.

“Yes, Gemma, bring it to me.”

Dipping my fingers through my own juices, I coat my fingers and bring them up to his face. I watch in a trance as he slowly lowers himself. Resting on his left side, he takes my wrist firmly and lifts my fingers to his mouth.

My chest is heaving now in anticipation of what he is about to do. I can’t take my eyes away from him. He opens his mouth and sucks the tips of my wet fingers between his sensual lips. My mouth parts at the sheer decadence of the act. As a moan slips free, I raise my aching hips while he sucks two of my fingers deep into his mouth. He swirls his tongue around them, cleaning my very essence from my fingers.

Being this close, I can now see his eyes through the darkness. His gaze penetrates me as he starts to rub his weeping shaft against my thigh. I’m so wet that I can feel the moisture dripping from my body as it trickles down to my ass crack. I’m locked in the most erotic battle of wills I have ever been in.

Finally, he releases my fingers free from his mouth, creating a sexy popping noise. His whole body moves up and over me again until his lips are on mine. His tongue pushes inside my mouth, and I can taste myself all over him.

Groaning loudly, I plant my feet on the bed and raise my hips up to him. He grinds down, but he makes no attempt to enter me. As he thrusts over and over, I can feel his cock as it leaks warm, sticky pre-cum on my skin.

“Roll over, Gemma.” He groans as he braces his weight on his arms, lifting himself up.

Blinking at him, I hesitate for a moment as his left hand moves between my thighs. Moaning loudly, I arch up and push my hips against his hand, seeking penetration.

“Roll over,” he demands again, removing his hand.

Not seeing any other option for release, I do as he asked. I turn over onto my stomach, settling my right cheek on the soft comforter. Immediately, I feel his body covering me from head to toe.