My skin stung viciously, but I could also feel a numb yet tingling sensation somewhere deep within me.

The man shifted closer to me. His voice was colored with mirth when he murmured, "You're so into this. You must be Blake's girlfriend."

My mind went blank. I nodded bashfully before I stammered, "Yes… L-let go of me."

The man let out a low chuckle.

I couldn't make out his appearance in the dark, but I could feel his heated breath fanning across my face, carrying an undeniably masculine scent. It made my own breathing go haywire.

"Let you go?" he asked. "And then what? Are you going to walk out of my room in these scraps you call clothes? Are you going to let Blake see you in this state?"

The man's words cut through the haze of desire clouding my mind and restored some of my rationality.

He was right. I couldn't face Blake like this—not when I was practically wearing nothing. On top of that, I was clearly aroused. I was shaking all over, and my inner thighs were a mess. Anyone could tell at a single glance what I had been doing.

If I left the man's room now, I would be sending myself to my demise.

But if I didn't leave the room, Blake would notice that something was amiss sooner or later.

A chill ran down my spine when I realized that I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yet I also noticed that my quivering body had become more sensitive due to the terror and guilt coursing through me.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?"

The man seemed to be reveling in my fear. His hands kept moving as he asked, "Didn't you dress like this because you wanted someone to sleep with you?"

I was horrified by his bluntness, but I couldn't find the words to come up with a retort. He had hit the nail right on the head, exposing the desires that I kept hidden in the deepest, darkest part of my heart.

"I… No…"

My denial sounded weak to my own ears, and I failed to even convince myself.

"No?"

The man scoffed and twisted his hand under the blankets, causing me to jolt violently.

"No… Don't touch me there…"

I could barely hear myself as I subconsciously pressed my legs together.

The man pressed his lips to my ear and whispered in a low, teasing voice, "What's wrong? Can't take it anymore?"

However, we were interrupted when someone knocked on the door.

"Are you in there, Giselle? I'm coming in!" Blake exclaimed.

My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest.

The door wasn't locked. It was over.

Just as I thought that Blake was going to catch us in the act, the man suddenly moved. He didn't let go of me. Instead, he held me tighter and rolled to the side, pinning me under him.

The bed creaked softly under our combined weight, but it sounded especially deafening in the silence of the room.

I gasped in surprise as my eyes widened. I was just about to start struggling when the man captured my lips in a searing kiss.

His kisses were wildly different from Blake's, filled with dominance and possessiveness. His scent assaulted my senses, giving me no chance to catch my breath.

My mind went blank.

"How strange… Where is she?" Blake murmured from beyond the door.

My entire body went stiff from fear, and I even forgot how to breathe.

The man seemed to notice how tense I was. Not only did he not stop, but he intensified his ministrations, snaking his hand up my back and expertly untying the knot on the dress.

As the last barrier fell away, I could feel the stark difference between the cool air against my back and my scorching skin pressed flush against the man.

My chest trembled slightly.

The man cupped my chest and began teasing me. I felt as though I was drowning in a pool of fear and embarrassment.

"Stop… I'm begging you…"