Chapter 4: The Kiss

Marcus, James's personal security guard, stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "Dr. Parker sent me. Your husband's vital signs are showing concerning fluctuations. The medical team needs you back at the estate immediately."

William's grip loosened slightly. "This is a private meeting—"

"Dr. Parker was quite insistent, sir." Marcus moved closer, his presence commanding. "He specifically requested Mrs. Thornton's presence, given her status as next of kin for medical decisions."

The mention of James's medical condition seemed to give William pause. Even in his supposedly comatose state, James's welfare was a sensitive matter for the family. William released my wrist, though his expression remained dark.

"We'll continue this discussion another time, Sarah."

The cool night air helped clear my head as Marcus escorted me to the waiting car. "Have you been following me?" I managed to ask as he helped me into the backseat.

"Standing orders, ma'am. We're to intervene if Mr. William ever gets you alone."

"And James's condition?"

"A necessary excuse, ma'am."

So he was protecting me. The realization was both comforting and infuriating.

---

The master suite was dark when I finally returned to Moon Lake Estate, but I could sense James's presence even before he spoke.

"You met with William for the money? Do you know how dangerous he is?" His voice came from near the window, low and rough, cutting through the thick silence like a blade.

The lingering effects of whatever had been in that champagne clouded my thoughts, making everything feel distant, dreamlike. My limbs felt heavy, my body warmer than it should have been.

"You don't get to dictate who I meet with. This is a business arrangement, remember?"

I barely saw him move, but suddenly he was there, his fingers tangling in the delicate fabric of my evening gown. The silk slipped against my overheated skin as he pulled me closer, his grip possessive, demanding. My breath hitched, heat coiling in my stomach as the scent of him—whiskey and something darker—filled my senses.

"A business arrangement?" he murmured, his lips just a whisper away from my ear. "Is that what you call it?" The words were laced with something dangerous, something that sent a shiver down my spine. His other hand traced along my bare shoulder, fingers skimming the sensitive skin there before trailing lower, teasing, testing.

I should have pulled away. I should have reminded him of the boundaries we’d set. But the warmth in my veins made my body betray me. My fingers found his shirt, gripping the fabric as I leaned into him instead of retreating.

"James—"

He cut me off, his mouth grazing the shell of my ear before moving lower, his lips ghosting over my pulse. "You think William can offer you something I can’t?" His teeth scraped lightly against my skin, making my knees weaken. "Tell me, did he touch you? Did he make you shiver like this?"

My head spun, my senses dulled by whatever had been in that drink, but one thing was clear—James was grounding me, pulling me into something I couldn't quite resist.

His hand slipped lower, fingers curling around my hip, pulling me flush against him. There was no mistaking the heat between us now, the undeniable pull that neither of us seemed willing to fight anymore.

"Answer me," he demanded, his voice thick with something raw, something possessive.

My nails dug into his shirt, the only anchor I had in the haze that clouded my thoughts. "This isn't—"

His lips captured mine before I could finish, stealing the protest from my mouth. The kiss was hard, desperate, fueled by everything we’d left unsaid. His hands roamed my body with the confidence of a man who already knew every reaction he could pull from me, every gasp, every arch, every whispered plea.

His grip suddenly tightened, and with a sharp tug, I heard the unmistakable sound of fabric tearing. The cool air kissed my exposed skin as my gown split apart, the delicate silk no match for his impatience. A gasp escaped my lips, but James only pressed closer, his breath hot against my cheek. "Don't see him again," he muttered, his voice raw with need.

I should have stopped this. I should have resisted.

But as his tongue swept against mine, as his body pressed me back against the wall, I knew I wouldn’t.

The room spun, the heat in my veins turning to something heavier, something that pulled at the edges of my consciousness. My breath hitched, my body swaying as the last remnants of control slipped through my fingers.

James caught me just as my legs gave out, his arms tightening around me. "Sarah?" His voice, once filled with tension, now carried a note of alarm.

I tried to respond, but the darkness was already closing in, swallowing me whole.

And then, everything faded to black.

---

The piercing headache dragged me into consciousness. Groaning, I rolled over in the massive bed of the master suite, my temples throbbing with every movement. The events from the Metropolitan Club felt hazy – William, the champagne, that deep voice interrupting...

Something else lingered at the edges of my memory – the phantom sensation of strong arms carrying me, and... a kiss? The memory was frustratingly out of reach, like trying to catch smoke. Had James...? No, that couldn't be right. But my lips tingled with the ghost of a sensation I couldn't quite place, intense yet gentle.

As I pushed myself up to sitting position, the room spun slightly. The other side of the bed was untouched, the covers still perfectly smooth. Had I imagined the whole thing?

The shrill ring of my phone cut through the silence like a knife, making me wince. My mother's voice trembled on the other end. "Sarah, you need to come to the hospital. Now."