Corrupted

Hannah sat in the chair looking up at him openly now. Expectantly.

Lukas stared at her for a moment too long.

God, she was beautiful.

Abruptly he turned toward the window instead, folding his arms tightly across his chest as he stared outside without seeing any of it. His original plan was still there somewhere in the back of his mind.

Disappear. Stay quiet. Stay unnoticed. It lingered now like a promise made by somebody else entirely. This—this felt closer. More immediate.

Like her.

He could feel the hunger waking up inside him. His breathing deepened. His pulse kicked harder against his ribs, restless and uneven.

If only controlling himself were as easy as controlling everyone else.

He’d convinced himself he could suppress it. Keep it buried. Something abstract. Distant.

But Hannah wasn’t abstract.

She was warm and real and sitting five feet away in his kitchen looking at him like he was the most interesting mistake she’d ever made.

His hand settled against her arm before he consciously decided to move. Bare skin. Warm. Soft. Alive.

His fingers slid slowly upward over her shoulder, then back down again, almost exploratory at first, like he needed to remind himself what another person actually felt like.

Except Lukas knew exactly what he was doing.

Hannah reacted immediately. A sharp inhale escaped her lips, almost surprised. Her body leaned instinctively into his touch, open and immediate in a way that sent desire flashing through him so fast it almost hurt.

Raw lust. Ancient.

Power corrupted.

And he was still trying to resist it.

Hannah had already stopped trying. There was still a faint trace of disbelief in her eyes, like some part of her knew her reactions didn’t entirely belong to her anymore.

But she didn’t question it. She just felt.

The warmth spreading slowly beneath his fingertips.

The pulse quickening under her skin.

The growing need to move closer.

She was ready.

“Stand up.” It wasn’t a command exactly. More like a suggestion the universe had already decided he would follow.

Hannah planted her feet against the floor and rose immediately. She swayed slightly for half a second before Lukas caught her.

Now they stood close enough to share air. Too close.

A deep breath lifted her chest. Her eyes found his and stayed there.

Lukas raised one hand slowly.

Even now, he could stop. He didn’t have to do this.

He did it anyway.

His fingers touched her chin, tilting her face upward gently. She followed the motion instantly.

Too easy.

Part of him hated that. Another part enjoyed it far more than he wanted to admit.

“You really are curious,” he murmured.

Her lips parted slightly, like she meant to answer. Nothing came out. She only waited.

And Lukas felt it immediately.

Not just power moving through him now. Desire became reality. He let himself enjoy the moment between anticipation and fulfillment. Then he kissed her.

Nothing careful about it. The kiss was demanding. Rough enough to erase any illusion of consent between them.

Her lips were warm and soft against his.

She didn’t pull away. If anything, she moved closer, pressing herself against him like she’d been waiting for this exact moment since she knocked on the door. A faint sound escaped her throat, somewhere between a moan and a plea.

Lukas slid a hand into the back of her hair, holding her there while he controlled the angle, the pressure, the pace.

She followed him completely. No hesitation. No resistance. Her body responded to him instinctively now, adjusting to his touch, opening toward him like she couldn’t imagine wanting anything else.

When he finally pulled back, both of them were breathing harder.

Lukas looked down at her with something far less controlled than before. Hungry now.

His gaze tracked the rise and fall of her chest. The way the fabric of her dress tightened and loosened with every breath. The tiny details most people never noticed.

He noticed everything.

And he wanted all of it.