Page 14 of Bound in Possession

She pulls away with a soft smile. "Come, I’ll take you to your room."

She leads me further down the quiet hallway, stopping in front of a pair of heavy double doors. "Don’t worry, Camilla. Everything will be alright," she says gently, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before turning and walking away into the shadows of the corridor.

My heart feels just a little bit lighter as I turn the brass handle and push the doors open.

But that fleeting lightness evaporates the exact second I step inside.

The room is spectacular, but my eyes don't linger on the decor. Instead, they lock onto the black leather garment bag hanging from the wardrobe, a heavy silver watch resting on the nightstand, and a dark silk robe draped over the armchair.

Maksim's things are here.

He is absent at the moment, but his presence suffocates the entire space. My breath catches in my throat as a cold realization hits me. Did he truly expect us to share the same room?

Since he’s nowhere to be seen, I decide to take advantage of the quiet moment. I need to wash the flight and the sheer exhaustion off my skin. A hot shower is the only thing that might calm my racing mind and let me clean myself properly.

I step into the attached master bathroom, strip out of the dress, and step into the spacious glass shower. The steaming water hits my sore muscles, and I take a long, ragged breath, letting the heat soothe the dull ache in my ribs.

I am completely naked, rinsing the soap from my hair, when the bathroom door clicks and swings open without a single warning.

Through the fogged glass, the tall, unmistakable silhouette of Maksim steps into the room.

"What are you doing?!" I gasp, shock sending a jolt of pure adrenaline through my veins. I instantly turn away from the glass, crossing my arms tightly over my chest to cover myself, absolutely furious that he has no concept of boundaries. "Get out! Have you ever heard of knocking?"

"I don't knock in my own house," Maksim replies smoothly. The glass door slides open, and the cool air hits my wet skin. He stands there, entirely unfazed by my nudity, his gray-blue eyes sweeping over me before locking onto my side. "The steam is going to loosen the adhesive. I need to check the wound again."

"I am perfectly capable of checking it myself once I am dry and dressed," I snap, blinking water from my eyes as I glare at him. "Get out, Maksim."

Instead of stepping back, he steps closer, reaching in to shut off the water valve. The sudden silence in the bathroom makes the space feel microscopic. He grabs a plush white towel from the rack and steps fully into the shower enclosure with me, his expensive leather shoes ruining on the wet tile, though he couldn't care less.

"Turn around, Camilla," he commands, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly register.

"No."

With an exasperated sigh, his large hands grip my hips, turning me firmly until my side is facing him. I wince slightly, but the sheer heat radiating from his palms makes my skin tingle. He gently peels away the damp bandage, his fingers surprisingly meticulous as he examines the jagged cut.

"It's clean," he murmurs, his breath brushing against my bare shoulder. He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a fresh waterproof dressing he must have brought with him, and smooths it over my skin with agonizing slowness. "But you're too stubborn for your own good. You should have let me do this before you got in."

"And you are an arrogant barbarian," I breathe, my heart hammering against my ribs. I try to pull away, but he hooks a finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. We are inches apart, my wet, naked body practically pressed against his crisp shirt.

“You think you can just walk in here and take whatever you want,” I spit at him.

"I haven't taken anything yet," he whispers, his gaze dropping to my lips.

"I will never be yours," I defy him, my voice shaking as the tension in the small space grows suffocatingly thick. "You'll have to force me, and you said you wouldn't."

A dark, dangerous smile touches his lips. "I won't have to."

Before I can fire back another insult, his hand moves to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling in my wet hair, and he pulls me up. His lips crash onto mine in a fierce, demanding kiss.

A gasp escapes me, and he uses the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue invading my mouth with a possessive hunger that leaves me utterly breathless.

A white-hot wave of desire floods my core, melting away my resistance. My hands, which were meant to push him away, slide up his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt as I find myself kissing him back with an urgency that frightens me.

The heat between us is explosive, spiraling out of control within seconds. His large hand slides down my wet spine, pulling my hips flush against his thighs.

The sheer intensity of it snaps me back to reality.

What am I doing?