not be with another. And I will not share you.”
The contract was too good to be true.
There was a catch.
There had to be.
But I was too inexperienced to look for hidden meanings or play the game Hadrian was a master at.
It didn’t matter. I knew what my answer was going to be the moment I realized it was Hadrian who’d offered the contract.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “Because once you say yes, you’re mine. The contract begins immediately.”
I nodded because I was unable to speak. His intense gaze captured mine, clipping my wings.
He gently grasped my elbow and escorted me inside the restaurant. When we were in the private back room, Hadrian released me. He looked at me for a long moment and then with one confident move of his massive arm, he swept the dishes, the glasses of wine, the bottle itself to the floor. Glass shattered, wine spilled, bread and olive oil went everywhere, and I didn’t care.
“Lay on the table,” he demanded. “Spread your legs.”
His blue-gray eyes were trained on me as he waited for me to do his bidding.
Like a puppet, my limbs moved. I crawled onto the table and flipped over, flat on my back, and opened my legs.
Hadrian walked toward me but didn’t touch me. Instead, he stared down at me, an inscrutable expression on his angular face.
My heart began to drum with excitement and nerves. I had no idea what to expect, and the anticipation made me wet between my thighs.
He reached out to caress one of my ankles. His touch was tender, light, and then his fingers were gliding up the inside of my legs, dipping into the hollow behind my knees.
It tickled, and I let out a laugh.
His hands didn’t stop, but continued higher, pushing up my dress so that it gathered around my waist.
I was wearing a scrap of lace that barely passed as underwear. He touched a finger to it and made a noise of approval. And then he was on his knees, pushing aside the lace, his tongue at the heat of me.
I couldn’t stop the scream that erupted from my lips, not caring that the kitchen staff was only a few feet away.
Hadrian gripped my hips to keep me pinned to the table as he continued to devour me. Voracious, he feasted like a warrior at a banquet.
He pleasured fast and ruthless, leaving me no choice but to come against his mouth.
And when he lifted his head, he swiped his tongue across his lips.
“I will ruin you, Eden,” he murmured.
I was sure it was already too late for that.
Chapter Fifteen
Hadrian helped me off the table and aided in straightening my dress. My cheeks were on fire and I looked everywhere but at him. The room was littered with the remains of our wine glasses and china, scattered across the floor.
Without a word, Hadrian clutched my hand and led me to the restaurant’s bar. While I settled onto a stool, Hadrian spoke to the bartender and asked for a bottle of wine.
“Please tell the kitchen we’ve moved and would like our salads,” he said.
The bartender nodded, poured our wine, and then left the bar to speak to the kitchen staff.
I wasn’t sure what to say to Hadrian—the formalities of the contract had been addressed, but I was tongue tied. All I could do was stare at his large hand as he grasped the delicate wine glass. His scarred knuckles stood out and it reminded me of the scar on his body.
The bartender returned, carrying our salads. He set them down in front of us, asked if we wanted fresh cracked black pepper, and then went to help another customer.
“How is this going to work?” I inquired.
“You pick up your fork and—”
“Not that. I mean, this.” I gestured between the two of us.
“I don’t understand. I thought things worked quite nicely in the back room.” He arched his brows as if daring me to vocalize what had occurred.
“Yes, I know how that went. I meant…after. Do you want me to talk? Do you want to do the talking? Or do you want six months of silence between us?”
He peered at me. “You’re nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Liar.”
I scoffed. “Fine. I’m nervous. I don’t know how any of this is supposed to work. I don’t know if you even want to talk to me, or if you’d prefer it if I was a nice quiet trophy—”
“What’s your real name?” he interrupted.
His question made me pause and then I said, “I’m