Page 3 of Merciless Proposal

He hums thoughtfully, settling beside me. His legs fall open, and his thigh presses against mine. I lean into it, the contact grounding me but also sparking something deeper inside. Encouraged, he rests his hand on my thigh. His fingers brush lightly over me, the touch both tender and possessive, making my pulse race.

“So, what happened in there?” he asks after a few moments of silence.

“They were keeping the girls in cages,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. At least this is something I don’t have to lie about. “It was awful, Jace. They… they were in handcuffs. They were so scared.”

“They’re safe now,” he promises, his voice firm, as he wraps his arm around me. “And so are you. You’re safe now, Natalia.”

I nod, the words sinking into me, even though part of me doesn’t feel like I deserve this comfort. But I’ll take anything he gives me. Maybe it’s greed, or maybe I’m just used to getting what I want. But I want him to want me, and from the way he’slooking at me, it seems like he does. And I won’t do anything to make him change his mind.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” I say, my voice small and fragile, and I hate how weak it sounds.

I’m scared. I’m terrified of what he’ll do when he finds out who I really am. I’ll lose him, that much I’m sure of. I’m afraid of what my father will do when he finds out I’m with someone like Jace. And I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen when Jen finds out I was the one who called in the tip.

God, I’m in hot water, aren’t I?

“How about I let you sleep in my bedroom?” he says, squeezing me tighter against his body. “My guest room isn’t made up yet. I’ll take care of that once I get you settled.”

I nod, letting him take the cup from my hands and pull me to my feet. I’m led through the penthouse, and it feels like this place never ends. It’s even bigger than I initially thought it was.

I’m led into a lavish bedroom, though it doesn’t feel lived in. The only sign that anyone actually spends time here is the ruffled pillows on the bed. It’s sterile, almost too perfect. He gestures for me to sit, then moves to the dresser to pull out a pair of sweats. He hands them to me and turns away.

“You can stay,” I say, not wanting to be alone.

He nods, his eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary before he turns his back. Suddenly, I feel like I’m under a microscope. Every inch of me feels exposed, and the heat in my face burns even brighter. I don’t have a lot of experience with this. With him.

I turn away quickly, fumbling to change, my pulse quickening as I feel his gaze follow me. It’s not just discomfort—it’s something else. Even though I’m self-conscious, I can’t denythe thrill of knowing he’s watching me. There’s a pull inside me, a desire to be seen by him, to be more than just a passing moment in his life. I want him to see everything.

I keep that to myself though. Instead, I gratefully pull on his clothes, warm and wrapped in his scent. A sense of safety washes over me as the soft fabric of his shirt slides along my skin.

“These are comfortable,” I tell him, turning to face him. I catch his gaze drifting up from my hips, and instantly my cheeks are hot.

“They look good on you,” he says, a smirk on his face. “I could get used to the sight of you wearing my clothes.”

I giggle, unable to come up with a good enough response. His gaze is fiery, simmering on my flesh. Somehow, it’s too much and not enough. I don’t know how to put what I want into words, but after a few minutes of heavy silence, Jace shifts his body. He takes a step backward without breaking eye contact. He’s backing up towards the door, but I don’t want him to go. I don’t want to be alone again.

“If you need me, I’ll be right–”

“Stay,” I blurt, the word escaping my lips before I can process what it means.

Jace blinks a few times, just as surprised by my request as I am. It’s impulsive, and stupid probably, but after everything I’ve been through…I can’t bring myself to take it back. Jace schools his face after a few beats, and then he’s crossing the room with soft steps on the carpet. He rubs his hand across his jaw before pulling back the comforter for me.

Once I’m settled, he changes into sweats, too. I’m enjoying the sight of his back muscles rippling as he pulls his clothes off,a sight for sore eyes. I wonder what they’d feel like under my fingertips. I curl my hands into fists under the sheets. Ugh, what am I doing? What am I thinking? A part of me is longing to be touched by him, to be touched by love and tenderness rather than pity and aggression. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

Jace joins me in bed, scooting in close until his body heat wraps around me. I let him pull me into his chest, his warmth completely enveloping me. I tilt my head up, searching for his face, and find that he’s already looking down at me, his eyes heavy, hungry.

Time seems to slow as his gaze lingers on my lips. The air between us thickens, charged, as we drift closer together. Then, in an instant, time snaps forward. He closes the gap, and our mouths meet. A surprised sound slips from my throat, but I pull myself closer, returning the kiss with everything I’ve got.

Before the kiss even deepens, I know exactly where this is heading. His mouth is a promise, a spark against mine. Anticipation floods my veins, and the exhaustion that weighed on me just moments before seems to vanish, replaced by a burning energy that thrums through me.

Chapter Three

JACE

Natalia’s mouth is insistent on mine. Her movements are eager but clumsy, unpracticed. There’s a sharp, almost twisted part of me that takes satisfaction in that. A voice in the back of my mind whispers darkly that I might be the only man she’s ever kissed like this, and the thought sends a rush through me.

I try to focus, to not let the way she’s clinging to me distract me, but the feeling of her uncertainty, of her inexperience, stirs something inside me. It's possessive, thrilling... and I can’t help but wonder what it means, what she means, to me.

I latch on to this feeling, the idea of her inexperience. With no sudden movements, I carefully push Natalia back on the bed and roll on top of her. I wait for any hesitation, any fear that might arise from within her, but instead she lets her legs fall open. I smile into our kiss, knowing she’s wrapped around my finger, thankful that she feels safe with me.

---