Juan stared at their linked arms. The color drained completely from his face, leaving him looking like a corpse.
"That's impossible," Juan shouted, his voice cracking. "You're lying! You couldn't fall for someone else this fast!"
Charlize felt a wave of absolute disgust wash over her. He was so pathetic, so convinced the world revolved around his mediocre love. She needed to break his delusion into a million unfixable pieces.
She turned her body fully toward Kavon. She reached up, her hands grabbing the lapels of his expensive suit.
She pulled him down.
Kavon didn't resist. He let her pull his tall frame forward, his eyes darkening with a sudden, intense heat.
Charlize closed her eyes, went up on her tiptoes, and smashed her lips against his.
It was meant to be a quick, brutal performance. Just a clash of lips to shatter Juan's ego.
Juan stumbled backward as if he had been physically struck. His back slammed into the side of the SUV with a heavy thud.
Charlize tried to pull back.
She couldn't.
Kavon's large hand shot up, his long fingers tangling into the hair at the back of her head. He locked her in place. His other arm wrapped around her waist, crushing her against his chest so hard the breath left her lungs.
He took absolute control.
Kavon's mouth opened over hers, aggressive and devouring. He forced her lips apart, his tongue sweeping inside with a possessive, territorial heat that sent a violent shockwave down her spine.
Charlize's eyes flew open. She pushed her hands flat against his chest, trying to shove him away.
It was like trying to push a mountain. His chest was rock-hard. Her struggles only made him tighten his grip, his kiss growing deeper, more punishing, more desperate.
Juan let out a choked, humiliated sob. He couldn't watch anymore. He turned and sprinted toward the garage exit, his footsteps echoing wildly as he fled like a coward.
The sound of Juan running away snapped Charlize back to reality. Panic flared in her chest.
She bit down hard on Kavon's lower lip.
Kavon let out a low, rough groan. The metallic taste of blood bloomed between them. Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled his mouth away.
He didn't let go of her waist.
Charlize shoved him hard, finally breaking his hold. She stumbled backward, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Her face was burning hot.
She raised the back of her hand and scrubbed it violently across her lips, trying to erase the branding heat of his mouth.
Kavon stood perfectly still. He raised his thumb and wiped the drop of blood from his bitten lip. His eyes tracked her hand as she wiped her mouth. The air in the garage instantly dropped to freezing.
"Good acting," Charlize sneered, her voice trembling slightly despite her effort to sound cold. "But you got a little too into character."
She turned her back on him and walked to her Ferrari. She yanked the door open and reached into her Hermes bag on the passenger seat.
She pulled out a leather-bound checkbook and a fountain pen.
Resting the book against the steering wheel, she scribbled a number with sharp, angry strokes. She ripped the check from the binding.
Charlize marched back to Kavon. She slapped the piece of paper flat against his chest.
"Five hundred thousand dollars," Charlize said, her chin raised in absolute arrogance. "Consider it your acting fee. And hush money. Stay out of my business."
Kavon looked down at the check resting against his suit jacket. He didn't raise his hand to take it. He just let it sit there, rising and falling with his slow, measured breaths.
When he didn't move, Charlize grabbed the check and shoved it roughly into his breast pocket.
"We are done here," she warned him, her eyes flashing.
She turned, slid into the driver's seat of the Ferrari, and slammed the door. The engine roared to life.
The red sports car shot forward, the tires screeching as it tore past him, kicking up a gust of wind that fluttered the hem of his suit jacket.
Kavon didn't flinch. He stood in the empty garage, watching the red taillights disappear up the ramp.
Slowly, he reached into his pocket. He pulled out the check. He stared at her elegant signature at the bottom.
A low, dark chuckle rumbled in his chest. The sound echoed in the empty concrete space, vibrating with a terrifying, absolute delight.
