chapter 4

The kiss was giving chills.Caspian's lips were warm and firm against hers, tasting like whiskey and something darker. His hand slid into her hair, gripping gently, and Lia felt a jolt of heat shoot straight through her body.

God. When was the last time Julian had kissed her like this? Like he actually wanted her?

Never. The answer was never.

Caspian pulled back slightly, his gray eyes searching her face. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Her voice came out breathless. "I'm sure."

He stood, pulling her up with him, and led her toward the bedroom. His movements were still slightly unsteady, whatever was affecting him not quite worn off, but his grip on her hand was firm. Certain.

The bedroom was dim, only the city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Caspian turned to face her, and for a moment they just stood there, breathing hard, staring at each other.

Then his hands were on her waist, pulling her close. His mouth found hers again, hungrier this time. Desperate. Like he needed this as much as she did.

Lia's hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, her fingers clumsy with nerves and want. He helped her, shrugging out of it and tossing it aside. And oh God, he was gorgeous. All lean muscle and smooth skin, tattoos she wanted to trace with her fingers.

The dragon on his ribs. Roman numerals on his left wrist. A small crown behind his ear.

"You're staring," he murmured against her neck, his lips trailing heat down to her collarbone.

"You're beautiful."

He laughed, low and rough. "That's my line."

His hands found the zipper of her dress, sliding it down slowly. The emerald silk pooled at her feet, leaving her in nothing but the black lace lingerie she'd bought just for this.

Caspian's eyes darkened as he took her in. "Fuck, Lia."

The way he said her name made her shiver.

He backed her toward the bed, his mouth never leaving her skin. Kissing, tasting, learning every inch of her like he had all the time in the world. Like she mattered.

And for the first time in five years, Lia felt alive.

Caspian's head was swimming.Whatever those bastards had drugged him with was still in his system, making everything feel hazy and distant. But the woman in his arms felt real. Solid. Warm and soft and smelling like jasmine and something sweet.

He didn't know who she was. Didn't know how she'd gotten into his room or why she thought he was someone she'd hired.

But right now, with her hands on his skin and her lips against his, he didn't fucking care.

His enemies had trapped him here. Locked him in this suite after slipping something into his drink at the meeting downstairs. He'd barely made it up here before the drug hit, leaving him disoriented and weak. They'd probably planned to come back and finish him off once he was completely helpless.

But then she'd knocked on the door.

This beautiful, nervous woman with sad eyes and a wedding ring she kept twisting around her finger.

And for some reason he couldn't explain, he'd let her in.

Maybe the drug was making him stupid. Maybe he should have sent her away, called Dorian, dealt with the threat properly.

But when she'd said she wanted to feel like she mattered, something in her voice had gutted him.

He knew that feeling. That desperate need to be seen. To be wanted.

So he'd kissed her.

And now he couldn't stop.

Her skin was like silk under his hands. Her mouth was hungry and hesitant at the same time, like she wasn't used to being kissed like this. Like she'd forgotten what it felt like to be wanted.

What kind of idiot husband lets a woman like this feel invisible?

Caspian laid her back on the bed, his body covering hers. She gasped when his mouth found her throat, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

"Tell me what you want," he murmured against her skin.

"You. I want you."

Simple words. But the way she said them, raw and honest, made something crack open in his chest.

He should stop this. Should tell her she had the wrong room, the wrong man. That he wasn't whoever she thought he was.

But the drug was making it hard to think. And she felt so good. So right.

Tomorrow. He'd deal with reality tomorrow.

Tonight, he'd give this broken, beautiful woman exactly what she needed.

Lia woke slowly, warmth cocooning her.

For a moment, she didn't remember where she was. Then it all came rushing back.

The hotel. The wrong door. Caspian.

Oh God. Caspian.

She opened her eyes. Early morning light filtered through the windows. She was wrapped in expensive sheets, her body pleasantly sore in ways it hadn't been in years.

And she was alone.

Lia sat up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. The bedroom was empty. No sign of Caspian anywhere.

Panic fluttered in her chest. Had he left? Just walked out while she was sleeping?

She climbed out of bed, legs shaky, and grabbed her dress from the floor. Pulled it on with trembling hands. Her hair was a mess, makeup smudged, but she didn't care.

She walked into the living area of the suite.

Caspian was there.

He stood by the windows, fully dressed in last night's clothes, staring out at the city. His posture was tense, shoulders tight. When he heard her, he turned.

His eyes were clear now. Sharp. Assessing. No trace of whatever had been affecting him last night.

And his expression was cold.

"Good morning," Lia said awkwardly.

"Morning." His voice was flat. Different from last night.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seemed really out of it last night. Were you drunk or..."

"Something like that." He crossed his arms, studying her with an intensity that made her want to squirm. "So. You want to tell me what the hell happened last night?"

Lia blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did you end up in my room? Who sent you?"

"Send me? Nobody sent me. I booked you through the service. The agency said you'd meet me here at eight."

Caspian's expression shifted. Something dangerous flickered in his eyes. "What agency?"

"Discreet Companions. They said your name was Marcus. But obviously that was wrong, or maybe they made a mistake with the names, I don't know. I was so nervous I probably mixed everything up."

He stared at her for a long moment. Then he started laughing. Low and dark and without any humor.

"What's funny?" Lia asked, anxiety crawling up her spine.

"You think I'm an escort."

"You're not?"

"No, sweetheart. I'm not." He moved closer, and Lia instinctively stepped back. "Want to know what I actually do?"

"I... what?"

"I run this city. The parts people don't like to talk about. The dangerous parts." His smile was sharp. Predatory. "You hired a fucking call boy and got a mafia boss instead. How's that for irony?"

The room tilted.

"You're lying," Lia whispered.

"Am I?" He pulled out his phone, made a quick call. "Dorian. Suite B at the Azure. Now." He hung up and looked at her. "My second-in-command will be here in five minutes. You want to stay and meet him, or you want to run while you still can?"

Lia's heart was pounding so hard she thought it might explode. "I don't understand. If you're not Marcus, then who are you?"

"Caspian Nero. And last night, someone drugged me and locked me in this room. They were probably coming back to kill me. But then you showed up." His expression was unreadable. "So thanks for that, I guess. Interrupting an assassination attempt with a case of mistaken identity."

This couldn't be real. This had to be a nightmare.

"I need to go," Lia said, backing toward the door. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake. A huge mistake."

"Wait." Caspian's voice stopped her. "You're married."

How did he know that? Then she remembered. She'd told him last night. About Julian and the open marriage.

"Yes."

"To who?"

"That's none of your business."

"It is now. Because you just spent the night with me, and I have enemies. A lot of them. If they find out about you, they'll use you to get to me." He moved closer. "So I'm going to ask one more time. Who's your husband?"

"Julian Whitmore."

Recognition flashed across his face. "The trust fund baby? Whitmore Pharmaceuticals?"

"You know him?"

"Know of him. Piece of work, from what I hear. Makes sense why you'd need to hire someone to feel wanted."

The casual cruelty of the words stung.

"I'm leaving," Lia said, grabbing her purse. "And I'd appreciate it if we could both forget this ever happened."

"Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because like I said, you're a liability now. My enemies will find out eventually. They always do."

"So what are you saying? You're going to what, keep tabs on me? Follow me?"

"Something like that." Caspian pulled a card from his pocket and held it out. "My number. You call me if anything weird happens. If anyone approaches you. If you feel like you're being watched. Anything."

Lia didn't take the card. "I just want to forget this happened."

"Yeah, well. Life doesn't work that way, sweetheart. Take the card."

She snatched it from his hand, shoving it in her purse. "We're done here."

"Not quite." He stepped in front of the door, blocking her exit. "One more thing. Last night. You left before you paid."

Heat flooded her face. "I didn't mean to. I thought... I mean, you were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you, and..."

"Relax. I don't want your money. But I do want to know something." His eyes locked on hers. "Last night. Was it what you needed?"

The question caught her off guard.

She thought about Julian. About five years of feeling invisible. About one night where someone had looked at her like she was the most important person in the world.

"Yes," she whispered. "It was."

Something softened in Caspian's expression. "Good."

He stepped aside, letting her pass.

Lia walked out of that suite on shaking legs, clutching her purse like a lifeline.

She'd gone to that hotel looking for one night of feeling alive.

She'd gotten that.

But she'd also gotten something much more dangerous.

She'd gotten the attention of Caspian Nero.

And something told her that her life would never be the same.