“But another voice spoke up, this one smoother and darker, sounding an inch away from me. “You said you wanted to be hunted. Right?” My breath caught in my throat. Kai?

The warmth, the taste…. He was slow but strong and deep, and I melted into him, following his lead and sucking and nibbling. My entire body was alive, an electric current spreading from my lips down the rest of me, and I wanted him to kiss me everywhere.

The girl from the confessional today. Fuck, that was her. I watched her and those pricks disappear from sight, everything I’d told her today playing in my head again. How did she know who I was? And why had I never seen her before? She was playing with me.

I didn’t like people doing things for me. It was uncomfortable being taken care of. I wasn’t used to it. Dipping the sponge in again, he squeezed the water over my back, letting it cascade down my skin, and I closed my eyes, surrendering. “Oh,” I breathed out.

The last time we were here together, she heard everything. Everything I didn’t want people to know. And I wanted one person who knew me. I didn’t want that tainted between us simply because I was afraid of what she would think. I needed her to understand.

I trailed my eyes down Kai’s narrow waist and long legs, wishing for a moment that it was me in that room. Entertaining for a moment that I would ever let it happen. “Keep looking at me like that,” Kai spoke up, “and we’re going to have problems.”

“Kai doesn’t like virgins. He likes women who know what they’re doing.” And then he let his gaze move up and down my body. I arched a brow. Yeah, I didn’t believe that. I was a virgin that night years ago, and it didn’t deter him from wanting quite a lot from me.

Untying it, I pulled the long, black lace out of a few loops and then worked my fingers up her spine, loosening the laces. My body was wracked with pleasure. I loved undressing her.

I wouldn’t ask her to make that choice anymore. I would just keep fighting, because I loved— I suddenly felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Because I loved her.

I crossed my arms in front of me, embarrassment swelling up inside me. “Don’t touch me.” “I wasn’t going to touch you,” he said, his voice suddenly softer. “I just want to take off your jacket, okay?” I shook my head.

I closed my eyes. I didn’t want this to end. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me, locking me into his heat and intoxicating scent. But if I let him, that would be my first mistake.

“I like your braids.” His deep voice suddenly sounded raspy. “Your hair is a beautiful color. Like mahogany. Why do you hide it?” I opened my mouth to hit him with a nasty remark but closed it. I didn’t want this to end quite yet

I looked down into her piercing eyes, remembering the smell of her hair, the sight of her smile, and the feel of her fear and excitement.

Kai noticed me, and his expression softened.

“I didn’t know. I…I thought…” His fingers fell down the side of my face and then down my arm. “What the fuck is happening?” His forehead dropped to mine, and I was about to shove him off, but I hesitated. Why the hell did he care?”

He took my hand and led me to the wall with one of the benches. He sat down and then grabbed me, pulling me in. I yelped in surprise as I fell into his lap. “First, you go in and sit down,” he instructed, squeezing my hips. “Are you sitting?”

They all glared at us as they walked past, and the young woman followed, brushing my arm as she slipped by. I inhaled her faint scent. The energy in the air was suddenly so thick you could take hold of it. There was something familiar about her.

But then, suddenly, Kai pressed into me, making me fall back into the trunk and land on my ass. My legs dangled over the side, and I looked up him, his long body blocking my escape. “Is that supposed to be a threat?”

“Banks?” he asked. “Did you need anything more from the gentlemen?” Banks? What? My heart pounded in my chest. I slowly moved my gaze to the servant girl he was speaking to, the one who had stood so demurely next to the wall, quiet this whole time.

“Hold my eyes,” he said softly. “Just keep looking at me.” I did. I just dived and surrendered and fell.