"What?" he roars, snapping back around at me. His face is red and angry, and his veins bulge out of his forehead. "What do you want? Can't you see my problem? I want you, angel," he yells. "I want you everywhere! But I can't have you. I can't corrupt you. I wouldn't do that to you. I'm not a good person, and falling for me is only going to get you hurt, so I won't. fucking. let you. So I ask again, what do you fucking want?"

I stand up now too. I won't be weak. I won't be weak. My eyes are level with his, his smoldering and angry and mine, well… sad. Distant. I feel distant. But this close to Sebastian, with his lips right next to mine, I know this is right. I know this is what I need. "I want you," I say simply, searching his eyes for a response. "I want you," I say again, like it'll make him understand, my voice stronger, more certain. "I want you everywhere, Sebastian. Can't you see? I need you. I need you like I need to breathe."

"And that's the problem," Sebastian says. "You can't need me. You shouldn't fucking need me! I'm not the kind of person you rely on. I do terrible things to survive. I'm not relationship material, angel. I'm built for ditching and fucking. I'm trying to save you from those men, but I also need to save you for myself. Because if I let you fall for me, then I'm letting you throw your whole life away. And please don't throw your life away. I know we care about each other, but please don't ruin it all for just a little desire."

I step closer to him, feeling his heat wrap around my body. Everything about Sebastian is intense. Everything about him leaves me drained, but in the best way possible. "Who says it's just a little desire? I need you, Sebastian. It's worse for me not to be with you. So just have me," I whisper, my voice low. "All of me. I need you to take me," I say, eyes locked on his.

He shakes his head, not convinced.

"How can I prove it?" I ask.

"You can't," Sebastian says quickly, and he looks ready to end this, to bring me back to my cellar and shut me there for eternity. But then he stops. Gets an idea. And he looks at me--really looks at me. "Kiss me, angel," he says suddenly. "Prove to me you know what you're getting into. Kiss me like you mean it."

I look at him, at his deep blue eyes, at the intense concentration in his features, and I can see he means it. I can see he needs me too. I can see, as twisted as it sounds, that even though I'm his prisoner, we were built for each other. And before I know what I'm doing, my lips are shoved against his. Everything feels so hot in that moment. Everything goes quiet, fades away. Everything is gone but the feeling of Sebastian kissing me. His lips are flames refusing to be doused as he kisses back harder and harder, and it feels real and edgy and thrilling and dangerous and so wrong, and yet so… not. Kissing Sebastian is the most exhilarating thing in the world, and his loves move with mine effortlessly. We kiss harder, faster, hotter, until the world melts away and there is nothing but the heat in my stomach and my sweaty, tingling skin against his.

Suddenly, his lips are no longer mine, and he's panting, gasping for breath, his eyes full of hunger as he moves his gaze down to my breasts and pulls his shirt over his head. I pull mine off at the same time, and then we meet again, kissing harder, more fiercely. His hands move down to my bra, slipping inside, teasing me. I feel my nipples go hard as he traces a finger around them, and a familiar urgent ache rises deep within my body.

He slips off his pants next, then pulls off mine with his expert hands. We both keep gasping for air, and I swear the heater just cranked up. There is nothing but us in this room, in this world. There is nothing but us and our bodies and our desire.

Our lips are locked again before I know what's happening, and I feel the sparks flying, the burning need his lips give me.

"Are you ready?" he whispers. I'm still gasping for air once we pull away, but he doesn't even seem fazed by it all. He's ready for the next part. The real part.

"Always," I gasp, and then his boxers are off. And I see him again, full and broad and glorious, and the deep ache in my body grows, the pressure building up deep inside of me with primal need, because I know I want him. So, so badly.

Before I realize what's happening, he grabs me by the legs and thrusts me against the wall, bringing me to eye-level with him. My heart is pounding and my whole body feels alive, more alive than ever, as Sebastian's erection touches my inner thighs. I don't take my eyes off of him, don't stop panting and gasping as he slips off my panties slowly, cautiously, lingering his finger around the space between my legs. Teasing me. I feel myself moan, wanting him to touch me there, but he has other plans.

"Will you let me have you just for tonight, angel?" he asks, his blue eyes so strong, boring into mine. "You're sure?"

"I'm all yours," I whisper, tilting my head back. My back arches as I feel his erection touching my inner thigh. The pressure keeps building up inside of me. I feel the heat and the tingling and the sweat on my skin, and he goes inside of me gently, slowly, and then he's there, and I feel the pressure in my body building and building until all of it is let out in one beautiful, climatic instant. My head goes weak, and I feel the tremors rack through me as Sebastian moves around inside of me and I gasp, I moan, but I don’t let him stop even as my eyes roll back in my head. 

Chapter Nine

We're ambushed at ten a.m. the next morning. I know because Sebastian told me the time when he came back inside the safe house he's kept me locked up in to give me breakfast. My mind is still reeling from yesterday, from everything he told me, everything he did.

Sebastian is a hitman.

And he fucked me good, and now all I want is more, more, more.

I wish I didn't, though. I wish I didn't feel all these things I'm feeling for him. I wish I didn't want to get down on my knees and beg for more, beg for him, as badly as I do. But I need Sebastian. I need his body. I need his touch. And last night was only proof of that.

I don't care about the consequences. I don't care that he kills people for a living. I don't care about how bad of a person he is on the outside because I know, deep down, he's just a lost soul desperately trying to do the right thing. I've never cared for anyone as much as I care about him, and I need someone in my life, someone who can thrill me, and if Sebastian can do one thing, then he's all I need.

"How are you?" he asks that morning, handing me a cup of coffee and a delicious-looking plate of mashed potatoes and eggs.

"A little sore," I admit.

He looks disappointed. "Only a little?"

I smile as I bite into my eggs. "Yes. Is that wrong?"

"Angel," he whispers, brushing his lips against my cheek and kissing me, slowly, softly. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right. I need you hurting. I need me hurting. I need us both to really feel each other, and to know we are made to be together. I need to claim you. I want you to remember that you're mine."

"I won't forget, Sebastian," I say. "I'll never forget."

He smiles lightly, kissing my neck now. I arch it back, letting my head roll back as he touches me there, listening to each of his melodic breaths as he kisses the pain away. "I know," he says. "I know. I just want you to remember. I want you to feel it. I want you to feel me."