Stella's POV
He pulled back slightly, breathing heavily. "Stop? You wait at my door and then tell me to stop?"
"You're hurting me," I whispered, hating how weak I sounded.
Something shifted in his eyes. His grip loosened slightly but he didn't step back.
"Why are you so angry?" I demanded, finding my voice. "I was just trying to meet the director's expectations—"
"The director?" Adam's laugh was harsh. "You think this is about the director? About you almost drinking while on medication?"
"Then what is it about?" *Why does everything with him have to be a damn puzzle?*
"You know what it's about." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "That look in your eyes—like you're telling me to find someone else."
I stared at him, genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play innocent." His fingers trailed from my neck to my collarbone, pressing hard enough to hurt.
"This is ridiculous! I've never said anything about other women!" I was shouting now, frustration overwhelming fear. "I can't control who you see or don't see! I've never had that power!"
I took a deep breath, finally finding the courage to look him in the eye.
"Tonight, the director specifically told me to dress nicely to entertain you. You saw how he acted—he practically wanted to gift-wrap me and send me to your room." My voice steadied. "Adam, we both know you'll meet plenty of women like that."
"So what?" His face remained tense.
"So, I don't want to act possessive when I know I have no right to control what you do. Knowing one's place is important."
Adam's expression darkened further. "Then, Mrs. Lancaster, what exactly is your place?"
I swallowed hard. "Your wife in name."
"Stella, you are my wife," he growled, his lips brushing my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Not just in name. My. Wife."
"You never ask for anything! You never tell me what you want!" Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes. "I'm not allowed to make demands of you. I've been trying to give you freedom from the start, and now you're angry about it?"
"Stella," his tone softened slightly, "as my wife, what do you think you can ask of me?"
The question caught me off guard. "I... don't know."
*What is he trying to get at?*
"Try," he insisted. "What would you ask of your husband?"
I took a deep breath, considering my options. I decided to start with the basics.
"If I asked my husband to respect our marriage and not cheat, what then?"
Adam looked almost amused, as if my request was laughably simple. "Ask for something meaningful."
"For now, that's my request," I admitted, unsure of what else to say.
"Fine," he said simply. "Deal."
I blinked in shock. "Just like that?"
"Just like that."
*Can it really be that easy?* I wondered, skeptical of his quick agreement.
"Then it's settled," I said, still not quite believing it. "You can't go back on your word."
I hesitated, then added, "If you ever meet someone else you like, tell me directly. Don't deceive me."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized what I had just said. When did I start assuming Adam had feelings for me?
Adam's expression darkened again at my words. Before I could figure out what I had said wrong, he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear.
"Stella," he murmured, his teeth grazing my earlobe, his voice dangerously low, "you really should..."
*Should what?*
I never found out. Adam's lips crashed down on mine, a fierce, consuming kiss that left me breathless. His tongue invaded my mouth with a searing intensity, my heart pounding like a drum. He yanked down the zipper of my dress, the fabric slipping away, the cool air prickling my skin.
He pushed me onto the hotel's plush bed, the mattress so soft I sank into it, his body covering mine, his hands roughly kneading my breasts, fingers pinching my nipples. A sharp pain mixed with pleasure surged through me, making me gasp, my chest burning under his touch, my body arching involuntarily. *How does he always make me feel this way?*
"Don't move," he growled, his voice rough like sandpaper, his hand sliding to my waist, tearing off my panties. The sound of ripping fabric made my heart skip a beat, his fingers parting my folds, his thumb pressing hard against my swollen clit.
A wave of heat exploded inside me, and I bit my lip to stifle a moan, my legs trembling, feeling like he had set me on fire. *Too fast, I can't keep up...* He grunted, withdrawing his slick fingers, unbuckling his pants, revealing his hard, throbbing cock, the tip glistening with pre-cum, making my cheeks flush.
He grabbed my thighs, spreading them wide, and before I could catch my breath, he thrust into me, filling me to the brim with a single, brutal stroke. I screamed, clutching the sheets, my nails digging into the fabric, my mind blank from the overwhelming sensation of being so completely filled.
He held my hips, pounding into me with relentless force, each thrust sending waves of pleasure and pain through my body, the wet sounds of our coupling mixing with my cries. *He's lost his mind... but why can't I stop?*
"Look at you, wanting me so badly," he bit my neck, his teeth sinking into my skin, his voice full of smug satisfaction, slapping my ass, the sting making me gasp. "You are mine, Stella, remember that."
His pace quickened, his cock driving deeper inside me, my abdomen tightening, the pressure building until I felt like I would burst, the climax crashing over me like a tidal wave, my body convulsing, legs shaking as I clamped around him.
He didn't stop, growling as he thrust harder, a final, powerful thrust sending a hot rush of his seed deep inside me, leaving me breathless and spent, my heart still pounding in my ears.