ter

n's

whispere

e morning after the shower-my mind still caught in the heat of everything he di

t me t

was the rea

ough the estate. Dressed in my assigned maid uniform-black dress, sheer stockings, and

, very real. An

exp

ted with the east hallway, the

had warned me on my first day. "Those are the Master

ell have told

line and glass sculptures that caught the light like blades. I wandered deeper

found a door.

ck

hole, heart pounding. My f

. Not fear. Something sharper

y ha

gn of

were on me, crawling down my spine,

ay slowly, whisperin

t, I coul

. I wasn't used to comfort-it made me uneasy. But ev

el

t bathroom like a god rea

e. His r

raised his hand-and yet I still fe

sed m

n the drea

as v

e, the top button of his pants open, hair tousled

y thighs, lips ghosting over my neck but never quite touchi

my stomach, circling my

s-his name, over an

s, pinned them abov

e his lips met

uel smirk he gav

as darker.

claimed me in ways

his m

up ga

tween m

y. Sh

pt

elf. My thighs still clenched with need. My mind refuse

more. I n

wasn'

was a fucking riddle wr

got out of bed, barefoot a

as silent in

to get caught. Maybe I wanted him to punish me properly this time. All I knew wa

e carved door

ling a room that didn't look li

re that looked untouched. And shelves-so many shelve

it all. My fingers brushed over the titles on the

I s

ph

er. Sitting alone on the mantle

pped

-dark hair, soft mouth,

her beauty that m

s her

oked l

he jaw. The tilt of the eyes. The full lips. It was li

was

keep her

bought me? Because

ick sounde

fr

lowly, hea

el

t the throat, sleeves rolled up, dark slacks ha

te

inch

dn't

n't ne

erything: I see you. I feel you.

slow, like a predator st

oul

ped to the ph

here," he said, voi

," I br

anothe

ack away.

ep," I added, s

reamed

ked. "

ed of me. You touched yourself

ke fire. My cheeks flam

ed to

ad, I sai

thick. That same tension from the shower crackled be

photograph again. "T

ps pa

ething to you,

And for a moment, I saw somethi

es

re. But his stare

ooks l

kno

sion was

why you b

dn't

feel his body heat. Close enough that I had

dyn," he said softly. "I

ropped lower-dar

e want to do things I

ht. My heart t

mouth brushing t

not

ed, wal

ere trembling, brea

ai