Did he give up?

I wanted him to find me, adrenaline from the chase heating my blood, but I was so scared, too.

“You feel it, don’t you?” he called out.

I closed my eyes, shaking uncontrollably.

“I’m already inside you.”

My clit throbbed, aching, and I reached down, holding myself between my legs. Oh, God.

“I know you’re in here,” he continued. “I see the drapes moving.”

My hands fell away, landing on the window seat behind me as I fell back and stared at the black cloth in front me.

“I want something that’s not mine,” he growled, and I knew he was right there. “But we’re not here, are we?”

What?

“We don’t exist, and this isn’t happening,” he told me.

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Damon would never know, and what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt me.

“We’re not here,” I whispered back, following his lead.

And then the drapes swiped open, and he came at me, mask off, and grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in.

I whimpered, my mouth crashing to his, and suddenly he was everywhere. Squeezing my neck, a hand gripping my ass, my arms around his neck, and his narrow waist pressing achingly hard between my thighs, I struggled to get closer. I wanted him all over. His mouth covered mine, and we kissed, going hard and fast, eating each other alive. He tasted like everything I’d ever need.

I bit his lip, dragging it out between my teeth as I fumbled with his belt buckle.

“I only want you,” I breathed over his mouth, our soft lips taunting each other. “It’s not like that with him. I only talk to you.”

He pushed me back, shoved up my sweatshirt and shirt, and started sucking on my breast as he nestled himself between my legs, grinding forcibly.

I closed my eyes, groaning. Fire blossomed on my nipple and spread over my skin. Oh, God.

“We’re not talking right now,” he gritted out, moving to the other one. His tongue was so hot and lit a bonfire between my legs.

Jeans open, he grinded on me, and I rolled my hips to meet him again and again. The thick ridge under his briefs teased my clit and as it rubbed over it again and again.

I cried out, and he planted a hand over my mouth, dry-fucking me as he leaned in close and bit my ear.

“I can feel it,” he whispered, his other hand gripping my hip. “You want me, don’t you? You want this?”

I nodded, grunting, sweating, and rubbing harder, trying to chase my orgasm that was cresting.

“I’m gonna sneak these legs open and fuck you in every corner I can get you in.”

Groaning again, I turned my head and snatched up his mouth, so fucking hungry. His words. God, his words. “Fuck me,” I breathed out. “Chase me, steal me, and fuck me. Hide me, I don’t care.”

He grabbed the back of my head, pulled me into his chest, and dry-fucked me harder, both of us panting and grunting and finally kissing as we both came. An electric current jolted and spread down my legs, my pussy so warm as I got wetter.

“Mine,” he groaned.

I slipped my hands under his hoodie, feeling his wet back and buried my face in his chest as the orgasm faded away, and my heart pulsed in my ears.

We stayed there, still and hot, but unable to move. I hooked my legs around the back of his and just breathed in as seconds turned into a minute and a minute turned into two.

His fingers threaded through my hair, and he forced my head back and my eyes up as he leaned down and kissed me softly. Deep, long, and slow, I could kiss him forever.

“Meet me at the Bell Tower tomorrow,” he told me.

But I shook my head. “I can’t so soon. I’ll be on lockdown.”

“I’m not waiting.” He leaned down to kiss a trail to my ear as he reached between my legs to rub me. “You either find a way out, or I’ll find a way in. I don’t mind doing this behind another set of drapes if we have to.” And then he slipped his hand down the front of my sleep shorts and the tips of his fingers inside me.

“Ah,” I squirmed back. It hurt.

But I quivered, too. There was still so much to feel.

“I like chasing you,” he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I like our foreplay.”

I nodded. “I like it, too.”

“Hide with me, then?”

Hide from my brother? Hide from David, Lev, and Ilia and sneak around with Kai?

I nodded again. “Okay.”

He kissed me, and while I knew we weren’t being realistic—hiding each other wouldn’t last—I couldn’t help but be excited for the promise of more stolen moments. I just wanted to be with him. I wanted to feel him.

Lost in his lips, I didn’t notice the music at first. A sprinkle of raindrops all around, and I almost looked out the window to see if it was raining, but then I heard the tune quickly follow. The tinkling high notes of a xylophone or some such instrument that sounded like a haunted lullaby hung in the silence of the ballroom.

We both stopped and looked up and then around.

And I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Suddenly, a beautiful woman came twirling out from around the stage, onto the dance floor, her black ballet slippers laced up her ghostly white, but strong, legs, while her midnight hair danced around her. She stepped and spun like a dream to the eerie melody, her tattered, but fancy black costume like a swan around her, adorned with feathers and sparkles. She was dream-like.

“Do you see what I’m seeing?” Kai whispered.

“Yeah,” I replied, unable to tear my eyes away. “It’s the dancing woman.”

Kai

Present

“Hey, kid,” I called Banks as she walked past the office door. “Come here for a minute.”

She stopped, hesitating before she entered. I took in her clothes, all dry and back on her body, covering every possible inch of skin again. She just couldn’t wait to get Alex’s stuff off, could she?

I stood behind the desk and picked up a set of keys on a ring, tossing them across the room to her.

She caught them, studying them. “What are these?”

“Keys to the dojo. In case I need you to pick something up, drop something off... There’s also the showers, cots upstairs, laundry, food in the staff kitchen…” I drifted off, stuffing the month’s receipts in a folder in the drawer. “Come and go as you please.”

“I have a shower, a bed, and somewhere to do laundry.”

I looked up, meeting her stubborn eyes and not the least bit surprised at how clever she was. Yeah, okay. Maybe I was leaving a not-so-subtle hint.

But I blew if off. “I’m not saying you don’t. You need keys as part of your job. It’s not complicated.”

“How do you know I won’t rip you off?”

I closed the drawer, a smile pulling at my mouth as I stood up straight. “Because I’m a great judge of character and petty thievery doesn’t strike me as your style,” I told her.

She might need the keys on the off chance she had to get in here while it was closed, but her initial suspicions were also correct. Gabriel let her live like a rat—that was apparent in her attire—and I still wasn’t sure what her living situation was like. She said she lived in the city, but I couldn’t imagine her residence was the least bit safe or nice. I wanted to make sure she had another option should she want it. The dojo was secure, clean, and she would have everything she needed here.

Except a car. I should make sure she has one, so she doesn’t get caught in the rain like she did this morning.

She shoved the keys in her pocket and turned to leave.

“Clothes are dry, I see.” I let my eyes fall down the backs of her legs—legs I’d only ever seen the skin of once.

“I have some more provisions for the contract you can take to Gabriel,” I told her, clearing my throat. “It’s on the table.”

She walked over and grabbed the envelope, holding it at her side. “Anything else?”

No, not really.

But I didn’t want her to go yet, either.

“Yes.” I stuck my pen in the holder and raised my eyes to her. “No matter how you cover yourself, it’s never enough. You’re beautiful.”