Charlotte's smile fades, and I feel a stab of guilt. I shouldn't take out my frustration on her. It isn't her fault I can't control myself.

I retreat to my office and close the door, needing distance from her intoxicating presence. But it's no use. No matter how far apart we are, Charlotte is always in my mind, refusing to leave me be.

This obsession will destroy me if I don't find a way to sate it.

Control.I have to maintain control.

But how can I when every thought, every waking moment is filled with Charlotte? I can't escape this craving, this bone-deep need to possess her, own her, mark her as mine.

I bury my head in my hands, my body tight with tension. I want to hurt something, destroy something, expend this restless energy that threatens to overwhelm me.

If I don't find release soon, I won't be able to stop myself from taking Charlotte, propriety and consent be damned. I'll throw her down, rip that prim skirt away, and bury myself inside her little virgin cunt until she screams my name.

Becuase I don't know how I know, but I justknowshe's got a perfect little untapped pussy. No man in his right mind would ever let her go if he got inside her. I growl now just thinking of another man touching her.

No one will ever touch her. No one butme. I'll make sure of that.

The office is empty now, the silence broken only by the ticking of the clock.

But in my mind, Charlotte's soft cries and pleas for mercy echo on a loop. I close my eyes and picture her bound and trembling before me, her flawless skin marked with the imprint of my hands.

Mine. All mine.

The thought sends a surge of heat through my veins. I grip the arms of my chair, the leather creaking under my hands.

I could end this torture with a single phone call. Charlotte would come if I summoned her. She wouldn't dare refuse me.

My fingers flex around the phone, itching to make that call. Every second we're apart is agony. I need her here, need to sink into the heat of her body and erase the distance between us.

No. Not yet.

I release the phone and take a deep, steadying breath.Patience. I have to be patient.

When I claim Charlotte, it will be forever. There can be no hesitation, no room for doubt or second thoughts. She has to be ready to give herself to me fully, as I will give myself to her.

We belong to each other, two halves of the same whole. It's only a matter of time before Charlotte accepts her fate.

I lean back again and smile up at the ceiling, imagining the day when Charlotte finally comes to me of her own accord, ready to accept both damnation and salvation in my arms.

The waiting will make that victory all the sweeter. Charlotte is already mine. Now I just have to help her realize that inescapable truth.

CHAPTERTHREE

Charlotte

This job has been a godsend.I'll admit. I was irritated when my first day on my new waitressing job someone spilled something on me.

But it has turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to me. With the money I make working for Marcus, I'm able to pay for my night classes. Not that I technically need a degree to keep writing. I just want one, I guess.

Marcus tasks me with organizing files and scheduling meetings, menial jobs that allow us to work side by side for hours. At first, we chat casually about hobbies and interests, building an easy rapport. But soon, our conversations turn personal.

One day, Marcus confesses his greatest fear is dying alone, unloved and uncared for. The admission catches me off guard, revealing a vulnerability I never expected. I reach out, squeezing his hand. "That won't happen."

He looks up, surprise flickering in his eyes. Then he smiles, a soft, genuine smile that makes my heart stutter. "Thank you, Charlotte. Your kindness means a lot."

Heat infuses my cheeks. I duck my head, embarrassed by the strength of my reaction. I'm falling for him, hard and fast. The realization terrifies me. Marcus is my boss, which means he's off-limits. If we pursue a relationship, it could end in disaster.

Yet when I'm with him, I feel happier than I have in years. He understands me in a way no one else does. He accepts me, flaws and all. I've never met anyone who challenges and inspires me the way Marcus does.