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Chapter 22

Xander

There’s a fire burning inside me as I grip her waist, desperately pulling her closer to me.

I couldn’t wait back in that corridor. Not anymore.

But that one kiss. That one single taste of her. Touching her…

That was my undoing.

I can’t get enough of her.

I miss the sound of her voice even when she’s right next to me but not speaking. I fear every time I let her out of my sight, she’ll disappear.

It’s ignited the flame that’s been slowly burning brighter since the moment I laid eyes on her.

I held myself back from fully touching her—in hopes that just the sound of her sweet moans and watching as she came apart in my arms would tame the monster that was threatening to break the chains inside me.

But no.

It wasn’t enough.

And I fear that it will never be enough.

She’s pushing away from me. I don’t like it.

And maybe it’s my own fault for spouting my thoughts out loud about her not belonging here. But it’s the truth.

She belongs with me.

She’s scared of something. But it’s not me.

And I’m going to find out what. I will burn anything that stands in the way of me and this woman with green eyes who has woven her silken web around me.

She’s completely oblivious to my obsession with her. And against all my urges, I have to act like this is all entirely fucking normal.

Like the little things she does aren’t feeding into my obsession. The way she flips her hair over her shoulder after a performance like it’s a habit. The way her nose scrunches ever so slightly when she sees me. How her fingers always tinker around the lace of her stockings.

Like the shadows lurking around the edges of my brain weren’t waiting for that green light from her to pounce.

She has no idea about the turmoil in my head at just the mere thought of her. At the thought of all these men staring at her every night.

Whatever it is she needs, I will give it to her.

I think if I have to endure any more nights of pretending I enjoy her putting on a show for anyone that isn’t me, I might have to lock her in my house.

And fuck, she looked good when she came back wearing my clothes. Better than good. It’s like she belonged in them.

She tangles her fingers in my hair as mine explore her body beneath my t-shirt with trembling hands. My entire body is ablaze with her intoxicating vanilla scent and the feel of her soft skin beneath my palms. I’ve waited so fucking long to have her like this, and now that she’s finally here, I don’t want to let her go. I want to stay just like this.

Her legs wrap around me as I pick her up and sit her on my lap, as if it’s the most natural thing. She kisses me with the same fervour, like she needs this just as much as I do. But I know this is different to her than it is to me.

Her core presses against my already solid cock, making it twitch in its confines. A moan forms deep in her throat as I grab her ass. As if we weren’t already close enough.

She grips my shoulders, her manicured nails digging into my muscles.

“Stop, please,” she moans as my mouth drops to her jawline, kissing down to her neck.