“I don’t care if I have to rip it off,” he said as his pants fell to the floor, leaving him in nothing but his black boxer briefs.

His body covered hers a second later, reaching under her body until he unclasped her bra. He pulled it over her head and watched as her glorious breasts fell into place.

“Fuck,” he muttered. His hands caressed them, stiffening her nipples, and then he sucked on the hardened points.

She arched her back and wound her fingers through his hair. He hadn’t moved an inch lower, and her blood was pounding. She was already wet and close to soaking through the thin material keeping him from her. She tilted her hips up hoping to encourage him to move farther south, but he only laughed at her.

“Not yet,” he murmured softly.

Then, out of nowhere, his tie reappeared. He had her hands clasped above her head, and he was tying the material around her wrists. The tie wasn’t attached to anything, but his point was clear.

Don’t move.

Her heart rate skyrocketed. He had tied her hands together. Shit!

He went back to work on her tits. He alternated between giving her pain and pleasure as he nipped at the sensitive peaks and rolled them between his fingers. She felt ready to combust under the attention and all before he even yanked her underwear to the ground to find out exactly how wet she already was.

One finger went in, and he groaned. She had to resist bucking off the bed as a second followed, and then he was working her in and out. Slowly at first, and then he picked up the pace as he brought her closer to climax. Her eyes were closed, and she was digging her fingers into the comforter when she felt his tongue flick against her clit. Her body jerked. Then, he was giving it the same treatment as her nipples. He swirled his tongue around the nub and licked and sucked until she was convulsing underneath him.

She was in ecstasy from her orgasm when she felt his dick pressed against her opening. Her body tightened around the head, and she pushed her hips toward him.

“Fucking hell,” he groaned.

He withdrew from within her, and her eyes snapped open, full of questions. She saw him tear open a condom, and she nearly groaned herself. She would have rather felt him against her, inside her.

But she didn’t protest, and then he plunged deep into her. She cried out as he filled her. For once, she didn’t feel empty or hollow. She felt completely and totally full. Of his cock.

He leaned forward, so one of his hands rested on her bound wrists, and then he started working her back into a frenzy. He pulled out slow and then slammed into her as fast as he could. Over and over and every agonizing moment over again, he would thrust into her until she was shaking with the need for release, but then he would be deliberately gentle and hold her off for another minute.

His lips fell hungrily on hers, and she felt him somehow expanding further inside her. He was as close as she was. They were both ready to collapse from exhaustion and the pent-up energy.

“Do you want to come, beautiful?”

She nodded her head. How am I even holding on to composure? All she wanted was for him to make her explode.

His hands fell to the sides of her face, and they passionately locked lips once more as he thrust into her until they both let go. Bryna’s body shook from head to toe. She threw her head back as waves of heat passed through her. She saw stars in her vision.

When it finally cleared, she looked up at the man who had taken her to all new heights. She knew there was no going back from here.

THE NEXT MORNING, Bryna awoke to an empty bed. She sat up, clutching the bedsheet to her chest, and looked around the dark room.

No Jude.

She scooted off the bed and winced as she stood. Her body reminded her exactly how much physical exertion it had endured last night. She shimmied back into her dress, grabbed her shoes, and walked out into the living room.

“Jude,” she called out.

No response.

She ducked her head into the guest bedroom and the kitchen, looked into both bathrooms, and even decided to peer into the closets.

Empty.

What the fuck?

They’d had an incredible connection and an even more incredible night. Then, he had ditched her? What kind of scumbag would do that to me? Has he been playing games the whole time? Have I been a conquest?

She was not just some conquest!

She quickly made arrangements for a cab to come pick her up and then stormed to the door. On her way out, she noticed a piece of paper on a table next to the exit. She snatched it into her hand.

I GOT CALLED INTO WORK AND DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE YOU.

STAY AS LONG AS YOU LIKE, BUT I DON’T KNOW WHEN I’LL GET BACK TO THE APARTMENT.

SORRY TO RUN OUT ON YOU.

—JUDE

Contemplating, Bryna rolled the paper over in her hand. This could be the truth. She didn’t know what line of work he was in, but her father worked most Saturdays. It was a reasonable assumption that he worked a lot to have amassed such a fortune.

She ground her teeth. She didn’t want to think it was okay for him not to even say good-bye. But he had left a note. Well, if it were all true, then he would get in touch with her again. She scribbled down her number on the bottom of the paper and signed it Bri.

She was sure she would hear from him soon enough.

After leaving Jude’s apartment, the cab took forever to get back to her dad’s place. She had to be at school soon for the away football game tonight. It was weird even thinking about going back to high school after being with Jude.

Her life felt upside down and inside out. There was the most fulfilling night of her life, where she had been completely free, and then there was the rest of the world. If Jude hadn’t more or less left her high and dry, she wouldn’t have ever wanted to come back.

Bryna walked in through the kitchen door in an attempt to avoid all human contact and nearly ran smack dab into her stepbrother, Pace. Another person she definitely did not want to come back for.

“Where the hell were you last night?” Pace asked.

She ground her teeth and turned away from him. The only person she wanted to see less than Pace was his stupid fucking mother. At least the twins would leave her alone.

When she didn’t answer, he asked, “Huh, Bri?”

She closed her eyes to try to get her emotions under control. She needed her hard exterior right now to deal with this bullshit.

“Only my friends call me Bri.” She swung around and fixed him with a frosty glare that told him he was very far from a friend. “For you, Bryna will do.”

“Yeah, whatever. You can’t dodge my question, Bri.”

“I don’t have to answer anything. You might have left the Valley, Pace, but you’re still trash to me,” she spat in his face. “So, stay out of my business and out of my life.”

She turned on her heel and stalked away. Thankfully, he didn’t follow her. He had been a thorn in her side since he moved in. Not to mention, he was a disgusting pervert who had spent so much time gawking at her when she walked around the house that she started covering up in sweats every time, fearing she would run into him.

Halfway to the stairs, she heard the voice she had been dreading.

“There you are, Bryna, dear.”

Bryna cringed and kept walking. God, I hate my stepmother.