"What's wrong? Run out of lies?"
He stared at her blankly, smirking coldly when she didn't respond. A flash of pain flickered in his eyes, but it disappeared quickly.
Ashley's face turned pale as she was pinned down on the bed. Above her loomed his sharp, handsome face, eyes dark and unreadable. She turned her head slightly, feeling completely cornered, her voice shaky. "I really don't know what this is all about, but I swear... I don't know you."
The moment those words slipped out, his whole vibe changed-his eyes grew cold, dangerous.
"You think just because I haven't hurt you yet, I won't?" His voice dropped low, every word laced with fury.
Three years ago, she'd vanished from his life without a trace. He'd turned the world upside down looking for her, and now, this? She didn't even recognize him?
What a joke.
Did she really think she could just walk away and pretend nothing happened, relying on how much he once doted on her?
Ashley felt something tighten in her chest-fear creeping in fast-but she forced herself to stay calm. "You seriously need to back off. My fiancé won't let this slide if he finds out."
"Oh?" His laugh sounded more like a scoff. "So that's why you left me? For that guy?"
He looked at her like she'd told the world's dumbest joke.
Out of nowhere, a flare of frustration hit Ashley. She pushed at his chest, her voice rising. "How many times do I have to say it for you to get it? I don't know you! I'm with Lucas-"
"Shut up!"
He cut her off, his patience snapping. That small sliver of sanity left in him vanished entirely. She was here, right in front of him, yet her heart was already gone. That truth nearly broke him.
Three years of searching, three years of hollow nights, and this is how it ends? Her falling for someone else?
"Guess I'll just have to remind you who you really belong to."
With those chilling words, he pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, locked her legs down with his, and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He leaned down swiftly, catching her lips in a fierce kiss, leaving her no chance to escape.
She could only take his kiss-nowhere to run, nowhere to fight.
Marry someone else? Not a chance.
As long as he was breathing, she would never stop being his.The second his lips crashed against hers, Ashley froze. Her whole body flushed with heat in a blink.
First came the shock, then a spike of anger.
She was being kissed-forcefully-by a total stranger!
Her mind blanked out for a second before she snapped back. "Get off...! Let me go!" she kept pushing at the man pinning her down.
But her strength didn't even register to him. He effortlessly shut down all her struggling.
In an instant, she was completely restrained.
"Let me go or... Lucas won't let you off!" she shouted, desperate now, pulling out her fiancé's name like a lifeline.
Big mistake.
Mentioning Lucas only made him snap harder.
"Oh? Let's see if he's really all that," he sneered, then with a ruthless tug, shredded her wedding dress to pieces.
"Are you insane? Let go of me!" she screamed, trying to cover herself, twisting and shifting wildly to escape.
Her sudden frenzy gave her a sliver of hope-she managed to crawl a few steps across the bed before he yanked her back under him. Her legs kicked wildly, but he locked them down with terrifying force. "Stop! You lunatic!"
Ashley looked up, and her scream choked off when she met his eyes.
They were bottomless... but burning with fire. It chilled her to the bone. Instinctively, she shrank back.
He looked like a predator who just got back something stolen-dangerous, cold, and ferocious to the core.
"Yeah..." He stared at her, a twisted smile slowly creeping onto his face. That smile sent a jolt of fear straight through her. Something primal screamed at her: Danger. Run.
But before she could think, he leaned in closer. The tips of his rough fingers traced her lips and slid downward-it made her skin crawl. His breath was hot, deep, right against her ear. "You wanna see crazy, Ashley? I'll show you crazy..."
There was a loud ripping sound, and the last bit of her covering was gone.
Panic surged in her chest like a tidal wave. And then-absolute, paralyzing despair.
