Page 2 of Claimed By Desire

Where I was never good enough, Alex was pure perfection.

“That’s not such a nice way to greet an old friend,” he says, gaze burning into me. It’s making me deeply uncomfortable in a way I can’t even begin to describe, let alone examine, probably because I’m not used to having humans around much less ones that speak my language natively.

Much less ones that look like Greek gods in sleek black suits with perfectly defined muscles and cheekbones straight from a fashion magazine.

Alex has always been handsome, but age has only made him even more beautiful, like the moment he crossed into his thirties he suddenly took on that masculine, hardened look, and it’s really,reallyworking for him.

This man is downright sinful.

He’s too attractive, too masculine. The energy rolling from him is pure intensity and domination. If I didn’t know him so well, I might be afraid.

Embarrassment flows through me in heavy waves. I’m absolutely mortified—how long as he standing there and how much did he see?—and I don’t know how to handle it.

Heat fills my cheeks, and he won’t stop looking. Shouldn’t he turn away? Give me some privacy? The bastard broke into my apartment, and now he’s staring at my body like he wants to own it.

It’s like he can’t help himself.

I swear, growing up, he neveroncelooked at me this much. It was like we were opposing magnets, forcing each other away. When I walked into the room, he hurried to get the hell out of there, and vice versa.

Now though, we’re in my cramped little Parisian apartment, I’m mostly naked, dripping with sweat, and my brother’s best friend is looking at me like he wants to destroy me.

“Alex, I’m going to ask you one more time. What the hell are you doing here? And how did you get inside?”

“Picked the lock,” he says dismissively. Classic Alex, treating me like I don’t have any worthwhile thoughts in my head. “And your father sent me to find you.”

I open my mouth to tell him off—but come up short.

My father sent him?

It’s been over a year since I ran away from home and I haven’t heard a word from my family.

Not a call, not a text, not an email, nothing at all.

Aside from the initial threats and rage-messages, but after a few days, even those dried up. My allowance still appears in my bank account which is the only way I’ve survived for this long, and I assume that’s the only way they know I’m alive. Since I’m spending his money.

Something feels deeply wrong.

“Why you?” I ask, inching toward the couch. I can see a pair of shorts on the floor near there, and if I’m careful, maybe I can grab them without giving him too much of a show. “And seriously, would you stop looking at me?”

“Can’t help myself,” he says, his voice low and warning. I freeze in my tracks as a jolt of strange excitement runs down my spine. “What were you playing just now?”

“Some song I made up,” I answer, rattled. What the hell is going on? I’m thrown by Alex’s sudden appearance, but even worse by my intense vulnerability.

I’ve never once cared what this asshole thought about me.

So why does the way he’s looking at my body right now feel so exhilarating?

“I want to hear more.”

“You want to—“ I stop and clear my throat. “How longexactlywere you listening?”

“A few minutes.” He’s fighting a smile. I know that freaking cocky grin better than anything in the world. It’s boyish andcharming, and I can only guess at how many women have melted over that look.

It only pisses me off even more.

“You could’ve said something. You know, instead of watching me like a fucking creep.”

“I wasn’t exactly quiet.”

---