Seductive Struggle
His fingers were as skilled as his kisses, both unparalleled in their mastery.
Her body grew inexplicably warm, her mind slowly going blank, overtaken by a different sensation...
Gradually, Lily's resistance weakened...
"Stop the car." Ethan sat up, his clothing perfectly intact, as if nothing had happened. His eyes, still filled with desire, regarded her coldly. "Get out."
Lily snapped back to reality. What was she doing? She had almost succumbed to his expertly crafted kiss.
Now that she had regained her senses, she wanted to kick herself.
"Fine, I'm leaving!" Lily wasted no time, pushing open the car door and stepping out.
Her complete lack of hesitation sparked a fire in Ethan's eyes. His voice echoed behind her like a haunting curse. "You'll come begging for me."
If he could force himself on her and make her come to Shallow Bay to find him, he could make her come crawling back to him a second time.
No woman could play games with him.
Whether they tried to avoid him or play hard to get, he was the one who dictated the rules of the game of love.
Before Lily could react, the Rolls-Royce had already sped away.
What did he say? That she would come begging for him? What a joke! Like hell she would!
If the car hadn't been going so fast, she might have gotten back in just to give him another kick, to vent her anger.
But three days later, Lily found herself standing in Ethan's mansion, just as he had predicted. Her actions made her want to slap herself.
But she had no choice. Just as Ethan had so confidently asserted, she had come to beg him for help.
Both Natalie's company, Empire Sea Entertainment, and the financial backers of Korean star Kevin had filed lawsuits against "EYL" magazine. Regardless of whether they could win the case, the legal fees alone were going to be a nightmare.
Lily's aunt, who had been all smiles when receiving the money, was now unwilling to part with a single cent and was even threatening to divorce her uncle.
Her uncle, with his gentle and accommodating nature, valued this family above all else. If the family were to fall apart, Lily couldn't imagine what would become of him. She had to do everything in her power to help him save it...
And there was only one person capable of turning the tide—Ethan Blackwood.
Sitting on the plush sofa in the living room, Lily glanced at her watch, her anxiety growing by the minute. She had been waiting since seven in the morning, and now, at ten o'clock at night, Ethan still hadn't returned.
As the hours ticked by, Lily's resolve began to waver. What was she doing here, waiting for a man who had treated her with nothing but cruelty and disdain?
She thought of her uncle, of the family she was fighting so desperately to save. Was it worth it, to sell her soul to the devil himself?
But what choice did she have? Without Ethan's help, they would lose everything. Her uncle's life's work, the magazine he had poured his heart and soul into, would be reduced to ashes.
And so Lily waited, her heart heavy with the knowledge of what she must do.
When Ethan finally arrived, it was well past midnight. He strode into the room, his presence filling the space like a dark cloud.
Lily rose to her feet, her hands trembling at her sides. "Ethan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I need your help."
He regarded her with cold, assessing eyes, a cruel smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Do you now?" he drawled, his tone mocking. "And what makes you think I would be inclined to help you, after the way you've behaved?"
Lily swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I know I have no right to ask," she said, her voice steadier now. "But I'm not asking for myself. I'm asking for my family."
Ethan's smile widened, a predatory glint in his eyes. "And what are you willing to offer in return, Lily? What price are you prepared to pay for my assistance?"
Lily's heart sank, a sick feeling twisting in her gut. She knew what he wanted, what he had always wanted from her.
Her body. Her submission. Her complete and utter surrender to his will.
But what choice did she have? If she refused him now, her family would be ruined. Her uncle's dreams would be shattered, and it would be all her fault.
Slowly, Lily lowered her eyes, her voice barely audible as she spoke the words that would seal her fate.
"Anything," she whispered, her soul fracturing with each syllable. "I'll do anything you want."
Ethan's laughter filled the room, a sound of pure, unadulterated triumph.
He had won. She was his now, body and soul.
And he would make sure she never forgot it.
As Ethan led her up the stairs to his bedroom, Lily felt a numbness settle over her, a distant sense of detachment from the horror of what was to come.
She had made her choice, and now she must endure the consequences.
For her family. For her uncle. For the life she had fought so hard to protect.
Even if it meant sacrificing her own.