Aurora reaches the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. Her body moves with unexpected grace under pressure. I’m close enough now to catch the scent of her perfume mixed with sweat and arousal. My cock hardens painfully against my jeans.
“The longer you run, the harder I’ll fuck you when I catch you,” I promise, my voice dropping to a dangerous register.
She stumbles slightly on the bottom step, and I lunge forward. My fingers graze the back of her shirt, so close, but she twists away at the last second, veering toward the kitchen.
“That’s it, baby. Make me work for it,” I growl, the near-miss only heightening my arousal.
The chase narrows my world to just her—the sound of her rapid breathing, the flash of skin as her top rides up, the way her ass moves as she runs. Every cell in my body screams to possess her.
I’m gaining on her with each step, close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body. The chase has my blood singing; every instinct is focused on capturing my prey. Aurora darts into the kitchen, her hands fumbling for the light switch. Smart. She’s looking for weapons, for barriers to put between us.
I laugh softly. “Nothing in there will save you.”
She whirls around, back pressed against the marble countertop. The moonlight streaming through the windows casts her face in silver and shadow. Her chest heaves with each breath, lips parted, eyes wide. Fucking perfect.
“You’re cornered,” I say, moving deliberately toward her. “Game over.”
“Stay back,” she warns, her hand closing around a kitchen knife from the block behind her.
The sight of steel in her trembling hand only heightens my arousal. I step closer, watching her grip tighten on the handle.
“Would you use that on me, Aurora?” I ask, advancing another step. “I don’t think you would.”
Her eyes dart to the doorway behind me, assessing her chances. I shift slightly to block her path, enjoying how her gaze tracks my movement.
“You signed the agreement,” I remind her, now close enough to smell her perfume mixed with fear-sweat. “You knew what would happen when I caught you.”
“I didn’t think—” she starts, voice breaking.
“Yes, you did.” I take another step forward. “You knew exactly what you were agreeing to. What you wanted.”
The knife wavers in her hand. I reach out slowly, wrapping my fingers around her wrist. Her pulse jumps wildly beneath my touch.
“Drop it,” I command softly.
For a moment, resistance flashes in her eyes. It’s that defiance that drew me to her from the start. Then, with a soft clatter, the knife falls to the floor.
I kick it away without breaking eye contact. “Good girl.”
15
AURORA
My back presses against the cold marble countertop as Hunter looms over me, his body effectively caging mine. The knife I held seconds ago now lies uselessly on the floor, kicked away by his quick movements. I can’t believe I grabbed it, and I can’t believe I dropped it so easily at his command.
“Nowhere to run now,” Hunter murmurs, his voice a deep rumble that vibrates through my chest.
My breath comes in shallow gasps as Hunter towers over me. It’s only now that I notice he’s wearing a mask—a skull design that covers the upper half of his face. The white bone pattern contrasts sharply with his dark attire, making his gray-blue eyes burn even more intensely through the eye holes.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, his hunting me through my dad’s house, there’s something undeniably alluring about the mask. The way it transforms him from a billionaire businessman into a dangerous predator.
“Why the mask?” I manage to ask, my voice steadier than I expected.
Hunter tilts his head slightly, studying me. His mouth—the only part of his face visible below the skull design—curves into a slow smile.
“Anonymity,” he says, reaching up to touch the edge of it. “Though I suppose that’s pointless with you.”
My eyes trace the contours of the skull, the way it accentuates the sharp angles of his jawline. I wonder if he plans to keep it on for whatever comes next. The thought sends an unexpected shiver through me.
