Chapter 4

• Ashley
• Ashley detected the taste of cigarettes and champagne on Marcus’s lips, but she disregarded the unpleasant mixture and directed her thoughts elsewhere. The gentle summer breeze, the distant sound of the ocean caressing the shore, and the presence of Logan behind her. Logan observed her. Observing all of this.
• She averted her face, and Marcus’s lips sloppily brushed across her cheek. Ashley’s long-standing experience prevented her from showing her disgust.
• “I apologize,” she uttered, lowering her head. Her hair cascaded forward, prompting his hands to swiftly sweep the strands aside.
• They slipped through his fingers like blond water, and she was aware of his fondness for that sensation. There were three attributes that made Marcus Decker find her appealing: her long hair, her finely structured face, and her delicate, slender appearance beneath loose garments or layers.
• Marcus preferred his partners weak and attractive, conforming to his idea of how most women should be. It eased his discomfort in desiring her. At times, Ashley yearned for him to encounter individuals like Meredith Harrington or Stephanie Quinones who would tear him apart for his sexist behavior. Other times, she wished she could do it herself.
• “Why are you leaving so soon?” he inquired. “It’s early.”
• “It’s nearly five,” she glanced at him through her hair, nibbling her lip in the way he enjoyed. His gaze descended to her mouth, and he inched closer. “I’m feeling quite unwell. I attempted to inform you earlier…”
• A hint of frustration flashed across his face. “You appear fine. I’ve been eagerly waiting to see you for days.”
• “I’m taking antibiotics,” she objected. “I only pushed myself to come here so I could see you, even if only for a short while. But now I’m exhausted.”
• “Stay here and rest,” he automatically suggested. “That was my plan.”
• A faint smile appeared on her lips. “Your plan was to engage in intimate activities with me all night. That doesn’t exactly qualify as sleeping…”
• “Sleep afterwards, and I’ll take care of you in the morning.”
• “And risk getting you sick?” she shook her head, adopting a sad expression. “I was confined to bed for five days, darling. Can you afford to miss that much time at the office?”
• His growing frown clearly Indicated that fitting an invented and mysterious illness into his schedule was out of the question.
• Therefore, he relented by forcefully kissing her once again.
• His fingers exerted excessive pressure, his teeth clashed against hers with excessive force. It felt more like an assault than a display of affection. Logan’s heavy and disgusted sigh emanated from the nearby car, signifying his agreement.
• Marcus ripped away, breathing hard. “Is that your driver?”
• Ashley shook her head. “A friend.”
• Marcus’s attention shifted to Logan’s car, and he began to calculate the Loganue of the dented Camry, trying to catch a glimpse of Logan inside, only managing to see his striking emerald green eyes. He wondered about Logan’s identity and why he had expressed such impatience…
• “I woke him up and pleaded for a ride,” Ashley explained, tilting her head. “My usual driver is also sick, so…”
• “Ah.” Marcus lost interest and returned to fondling her. He gripped her wrist, guiding her down the wide staircase, simultaneously treating her like a child while asserting his dominance.
• Ashley had encountered many men like Marcus in her life. It was peculiar how they showered her with compliments, calling her beautiful, perfect, and fragile like porcelain, while constantly making it evident that they desired to control her.
• He nudged her closer to the car, and she emitted a soft sound of pleasure at his unwelcome assistance. She allowed him to kiss her again, despite Logan standing only three feet away. Logan’s audible annoyance buzzed like a disturbed beehive, causing her stomach to knot. Don’t say anything. Please, don’t start anything.
• “I’ll contact you,” Ashley promised Marcus. “We’ll meet again soon.”
• “We better. I’m not accustomed to waiting.” Marcus scrutinized her slowly. “But you’re worth it.”
• “As soon as I recover, we’ll be together.”
• “Promise me, Ashley.”
• Ashley reached behind her, curling her fingers around the door handle. Her escape was within reach, but Marcus continued to watch, wait, and try to understand her. S
• he prided herself on her acting skills, on giving men what they desired and whispering sweet lies in their ears. However, Marcus was different. He was intelligent enough to comprehend why she had been spending time with him, yet he hadn’t fully grasped why she was retreating before succumbing to the planned seduction. Like most people familiar with her reputation, he likely expected her to be capable of anything, to sleep with anyone, without it affecting her.
• “Next time,” she said, still smiling and casting a gaze at him from beneath her lashes. “I won’t disappoint you.”
• From the car, she heard a muttered, “Jesus Christ,” but Marcus remained oblivious as he continued to stare her down, undoubtedly contemplating all the things he desired to do with her.
• After their initial encounter—a business dinner where she had captivated his attention, held his gaze, and left him yearning to know more about her—Marcus had revealed some of his desires. It had been the easiest assignment for her, especially when he mentioned his nephew struggling with his wealthy family’s acceptance. Instantly intrigued, she had inquired about the details, displaying genuine concern upon learning that the young man had run away from home.
• She had believed their conversation had a purpose, which led her to give him her number, hoping to continue their interaction and potentially help him in ways that didn’t involve giving in to his desires.
• Initially, his messages had centered around his concern, but they had gradually transformed into pleas to see her again, filled with earnest expressions of his loneliness, and eventually escalating into explicit descriptions of what he wanted to do to her in the bedroom. Soon enough, pussy photos had been shared as well.