Chapter 3

Despite her initial reservations, Lily found herself surrendering fully to James' dominance. She loved how he made her feel - like the most desirable woman in the world. And even though she knew it was all just an act, she couldn't help but enjoy the fantasy while it lasted. James was nothing if not a master of manipulation, able to twist her emotions around until she didn't know whether she wanted to hate him or kiss him senseless.

It wasn't just the way he looked – tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing green eyes that seemed to see straight through her soul – it was the way he moved, too. Each step was calculated, deliberate, like he knew exactly what buttons to push to get exactly what he wanted. And lately, what he wanted seemed to be more and more dangerous.

Just last week, he'd taken her to a run-down motel on the outskirts of town, where they'd had to use a dirty mattress on the floor because the bed springs creaked too loudly. When they finished, he'd handed her a thousand dollars and told her to leave without looking back. She hadn't argued, though she'd felt ashamed as she walked away from the motel, clutching her skirt tight around her thighs. She knew she should have walked away sooner, but something kept drawing her back to James.

There was something mesmerizing about the way he moved through the world, like he owned it all and didn't give a damn who he stepped on. And yet somehow, whenever he looked at her with those intense green eyes, she felt like the only person who mattered. Still, she couldn't shake the nagging sense that something was off. He always seemed too eager to please her, leaving her uneasy with his intentions. Even when they first met, she'd caught him looking at her with an intensity that made her nervous. But then he smiled and charmed his way into her life, showing her a side of himself that no one else ever saw. Before long, she found herself falling for him - hard.

But as much as she tried to ignore the warning signs, she couldn't escape the fact that something was off. Like the way he would suddenly change the subject whenever she brought up anything serious, or the way he would disappear for days on end without explanation. Or the fact that he always seemed to know exactly what she needed before she even realized it herself.

It was maddening, really. Because sometimes, when she closed her eyes and let herself imagine a future with him, she could almost convince herself that they were meant to be together. That he truly cared for her and wouldn't hurt her. But then reality would come crashing back down, and she'd remember how quickly he'd slipped away from her after their last encounter. How coldly he'd dismissed her when she'd tried to talk to him about their relationship. How cruel he'd been, using his power to turn her insides out and make her question everything she thought she knew about herself.