Page 60 of Captured Heart

He pauses, and the agonized look on his face makes it seem like he’s wrestling with something internally. But then his eyes return to me, sweeping over my semi-exposed body from head to toe. His expression hardens, like he’s reached the end of his tether.

Without warning, he places his hand on the flat of my chest and shoves me against the wall again. His other hand snakes up my back, weaving its way into my messy hair, and he tilts my head until my lips are angled toward his.

“I’m gonna kiss you,” he whispers hoarsely. “No biting.”

His mouth slams down on mine, and it’s so unexpected that I don’t respond for a few seconds. Air freezes in my lungs, and my whole body stiffens. But it doesn’t take long for him to seduce me into submission. He teases my lips apart with his tongue, and the sexiest groan greets my ears when he slips it into my mouth.

Never in my life has anyone kissed me like this. With such fervor. With such hunger. He kisses me like he’s been yearning for the taste of me. He sucks on my tongue as if he’s trying to engulf the essence of my entire being. I get swallowed by his lust so quickly, like a vortex that yanks me off the ground, and now I’m spinning mindlessly within it.

His tongue tangles with mine in an agonizingly slow dance, eliciting scorching heat that coils in my stomach and spreads through my limbs. His hand tightens in my hair, pulling just enough to tilt my head further so he can deepen the kiss.

A soft gasp escapes me. The noise seems to snap something in him, and another groan reverberates on my lips. His body jerks closer, his blistering hot chest presses on mine as he pins me against the wall. His hard, unyielding muscles encapsulate me from all sides, caging me in so I can’t escape. The icy tiles onmy back contrast with the warmth radiating off him, and it’s a sensory overload I can barely process.

His other hand runs down my side, firm and possessive, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. But then it sneaks beneath the hoodie...and under my dress...

Featherlight touches caress my inner thigh, and I gasp when I feel the tip of his finger skim the edges of my thin lace panties. He toys with the seam, then shifts it to the side. Slowly, he strokes my entrance, lubricating his fingers before slipping two inside me. A moan staggers out of me, my head dropping back against the tiles, and he uses the opportunity to give my neck the same attention.

Rough stubble scrapes against my sensitive skin before he pulls it between his teeth. It only heightens the dizzying effect of his touch. He lifts my leg to his waist, which allows him just the right angle to push deeper inside me. My hips rock on their own accord, riding his fingers as I chase my own pleasure.

The moans I release are so loud and desperate they don’t even sound like me. Languidly, his fingers move in and out of me, tantalizing every overwrought nerve, stifling every breath I try to draw in.

I’m clinging to him, clutching his shoulders, digging my nails into his skin because I need something solid to hold onto, to keep me grounded so I don’t float away.

He devours me, his lips demanding and unapologetic. There’s no room for hesitation or second thoughts, just the raw, unfiltered intensity of this moment. With every thrust of his fingers, I’m taken higher, inching ever closer to the pinnacle I crave.

I’m on the edge, the precipice, ready to tumble when reality comes crashing back and hits me with brutal force. This is the same man who held a gun to my head not even five minutesago. The man who slammed me against this very wall without hesitation.

What the hell am I doing?

How could I let such a man touch me, let alone get to an inch of a mind-blowing orgasm?

“Stop.”

The whisper is so soft it barely reaches my own ears, but he immediately stops. The abrupt removal of his warmth leaves me feeling cold and exposed. I cross my arms to preserve some of it, holding on to the last fragments his body left behind.

He steps back, his hands dropping to his sides. Ever since I met him, he’s always accepted rejection like this. Wholeheartedly and without exception. He won’t even try to persuade me.

And knowing that there’s no second chance to rekindle what we just shared almost makes me feel a twinge of regret, but I brush it aside because I can’t be that stupid. He. Is. A. Criminal. And I can’t willinglywanta convicted felon.

My breathing is ragged, and I can’t tell if it’s from the lack of oxygen or the sheer panic clawing at my throat. Alex takes another step back, putting more distance between us. But then he stops, his stormy eyes searching mine for a reason, some kind of explanation. His chest heaves, and there’s something almost vulnerable in the way he looks at me.

“I can’t...” My voice cracks, coming out shaky and uneven. “I can’t do this. Not with you.”

For a moment, I think I see a flicker of pain cross his face, but it’s gone so quickly I’m not sure it was ever there. He looks at me like he wants to say something, but instead, he just turns and walks out of the bathroom.

I lean against the wall, trying to slow my breathing. My fingers tremble as I bring them to my lips, still swollen from thekiss. The taste of him lingers, intoxicating and maddening all at once.

A few seconds later, he walks back into the bathroom. His movements are brisk, his expression almost lifeless. I’m still trying to process what’s happening when he grabs my arm in a firm grip.

“Alex, wait. What are you doing?”

He doesn’t answer. He drags me out of the bathroom and over to the bed, the old metal frame creaking under my weight as he pushes me down.

“I need to get out of here.”

I see the handcuffs and start to panic. “Alex, stop! Please don’t tie me up. I won’t try to run away. I—” I stop short when he takes hold of my wrist.

“Unfortunately, Katie, you’ve built quite a track record in these last few hours, and I don’t believe you.”

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