Cassidy hit the mattress with a bounce, the heavy springs groaning under the impact.

Before she could even scramble onto her hands and knees, Jaret's weight crashed down on her. He pinned her wrists above her head, his large hands easily encompassing both of hers.

She thrashed beneath him, trying to buck him off, trying to bring her knee up, but he was too heavy, too strong. He forced his leg between hers, pinning her hips to the bed.

He stared down at her face—flushed with rage, eyes bright with unshed tears—and the fire in his eyes burned hotter. He didn't give her a warning. He didn't ask for permission.

He crashed his mouth down onto hers.

It wasn't a kiss. It was a punishment. His teeth scraped against her lips, bruising and demanding. He forced his tongue past her clenched teeth, invading her mouth, tasting the copper of her blood and the salt of her tears.

Cassidy kept her jaw locked, refusing to respond, refusing to give him an inch. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth—she didn't know if she had bitten him or bitten her own tongue.

His grip on one of her wrists loosened as his hand slid down, his fingers digging into the curve of her waist. He grabbed the hem of her dress, yanking it upward with a rough, impatient movement.

The cool air on her skin snapped the last thread of Cassidy's sanity. She couldn't let this happen. Not again. Not like this.

As his hand moved to adjust his weight, she felt the cool metal of the bedside lamp base beneath her free fingers.

She didn't think. She just acted.

She wrapped her hand around the heavy brass base and swung it with every ounce of desperate strength she possessed.

Jaret saw the movement at the last second. He jerked his head to the side.

The lamp connected with his shoulder with a sickening thud.

He grunted in pain, his grip on her faltering. He stared down at her, shock and disbelief warring in his eyes. The little mouse had claws.

Cassidy didn't waste the opening. She shoved him off balance and twisted her body around.

Her hand came up, and she put her entire body weight behind the slap.

Crack!

The sound echoed through the silent room like a gunshot.

Jaret's head snapped to the side, the force of the blow whipping his neck around. A bright red handprint bloomed instantly on his cheek. He froze, his body turning to stone.

From the doorway, Kade poked his head in, his eyes wide. He took one look at Jaret's face and immediately backed out, pulling the door shut. Dead woman walking, he thought.

Cassidy lay on the bed, her chest heaving, her hand stinging from the impact. She was shaking violently, but she kept her eyes locked on him, daring him to move.

Slowly, Jaret turned his head back to face her. The shock was gone. The desire was gone.

He didn't strike back. He didn't grab her throat. Instead, he slowly straightened up, his hand moving to his reddened cheek. When he looked at her, the shock in his eyes had curdled into something far more dangerous—a cold, deliberate fury that was worse than any blow.

"You have no idea what you just did," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He took a step back, putting an unnerving distance between them rather than closing it. "But you will. By the time I'm finished, you'll understand exactly what it costs to strike me."

He stood there for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths, a predator forcing himself back into his cage. Then, without another word, he turned and walked toward the door, his back to her—a dismissal more terrifying than any threat.

The door slammed shut behind him.

Cassidy lay alone on the bed, her body trembling, her hand still stinging, the silence around her heavier than any scream.

The only sound in the room was the ragged, uneven rhythm of Cassidy's breathing.

She curled into a ball in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees, her body still trembling from the adrenaline crash. She felt like a piece of glass that had been dropped, waiting for the final shatter.

Jaret stood by the window, his back to her. The line of his shoulders was rigid, the muscles in his back coiled tight. He was staring out at the city lights, but he wasn't seeing them. He was fighting a war inside his head, trying to cage the beast she had unleashed.

The shrill, insistent ringing of a cell phone shattered the silence.

Jaret cursed under his breath. He pulled the phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His brow furrowed, a look of deep annoyance crossing his features. It was the London office. An emergency.

He hesitated, his thumb hovering over the decline button. Then he let out a harsh breath and answered.

"Speak," he commanded, his voice instantly shifting from feral to glacial. The transformation was terrifying in its speed.

Cassidy watched him from the floor. As soon as he turned his attention to the call, her survival instincts kicked in. She scanned the room. The bedroom door was open. If she could get past him, through the living room, and out the front door...

She shifted her weight onto her hands, preparing to bolt.

Jaret's head snapped around. Even as he listened to the voice on the phone, his eyes locked onto her, sharp and warning. The look said, Don't even think about it.

Cassidy froze, the cold reality washing over her. She wasn't going anywhere.

Jaret ended the call, shoving the phone back into his pocket. He strode over to her, his long legs eating up the distance. She flinched, pressing herself deeper into the wall, bracing for another attack.

But he didn't hit her.

He crouched down, his hand reaching for the small evening clutch she had dropped near the bed. She tried to snatch it away, but he batted her arm aside with casual ease, flipped open the clasp, and pulled out her phone.

He stood up, his fingers quickly tapping on the screen. He dialed a number, let it ring once, then hung up. He typed something into her contacts, then tossed the phone back onto her lap.

"Tomorrow. Six PM. The Peninsula Hotel lobby," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Cassidy clutched the phone, her knuckles white. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she spat, her voice hoarse and scratchy.

Jaret let out a cold, humorless laugh. He leaned down, his face close to hers, his voice a low threat.

"That term sheet is still unsigned. Your boss is downstairs, practically begging my friend for money. One word from me, and she's ruined. And if you aren't at the Peninsula tomorrow..." He paused, a cruel smirk touching his lips. "I'll come to that roach-infested apartment of yours and we can have this conversation in your living room."

The image of Jaret Taylor in her tiny, shabby apartment, tearing apart her safe space, made her blood run cold. He would do it. He was insane enough to do anything.

He straightened up, adjusting his cuffs with his uninjured hand, ignoring the sharp throb from his bloody knuckles. He smoothed down his jacket. The monster was back in its cage, wearing the mask of the gentleman.

He walked toward the door, pausing to look back at her one last time.

"Remember, Cassidy. You owe me. And I always collect."

The door slammed shut. A moment later, she heard the murmur of voices in the living room, then the heavy front door closing. Silence.

Cassidy collapsed onto the floor, the phone clutched to her chest. She stared at the screen. The contact name simply read: Jaret.

It was a ticking time bomb.

She couldn't go to the Peninsula. That was walking into the lion's den. But if she didn't... he would destroy her. He would destroy everything.

She forced herself to stand. Her legs were like jelly, but she managed to pull her dress back down and fix her hair. She wiped the tears from her face, smearing her makeup. She didn't care. She just needed to get out of this room.

She opened the bedroom door. The living room was empty. Kade was gone.

She walked out into the hallway, her heart pounding with every step, expecting him to jump out of the shadows. She made it to the elevator, down to the ballroom, and back into the crowd.

She found Meredith at the bar, nursing a martini and looking irritated.

"Where have you been?" Meredith snapped, checking her watch. "I've been looking for you. The Thorne guy blew me off after ten minutes. Total waste of time."

Cassidy just stared at her boss, the words washing over her. Meredith had no idea. She had been sitting downstairs, sipping cocktails, while Cassidy was fighting for her life upstairs.

"I'm sorry," Cassidy mumbled, the lie tasting like ash in her mouth. "I got lost."