Chapter 2

Casandra's spine was slammed flat against the freezing porcelain tiles, every trace of air violently forced from her lungs as she twisted against his iron chest.

Dedric Black looked down at her without a trace of warmth, lowering his head until his lips brushed her ear in a lethal whisper.

"Quiet, or I'll make you quiet."

His scorching breath hit her flushed skin, heavy with the sharp scent of cedar and raw, suffocating authority.

Outside the stall, Jim's leather shoes clicked against the floor tiles, each step drawing closer.

"I know you're hiding on this floor! Come out and hand over the phone, and we can still talk this through!"

Jim's voice bounced off the restroom walls before he cursed under his breath and walked back out into the hallway to check the stairwell.

Casandra glared up at the man pinning her, jerking her chin toward the door to demand he let her go.

Dedric let out a low, silent sneer. Far from releasing her, he wedged his long, muscular leg straight between her knees with ruthless precision, pinning her lower body into absolute immobility.

Right then, the heavy footsteps of the other two men entered the restroom.

"Check the stalls," one of them muttered.

Dedric's muscles turned to rock against hers. The hostility radiating off him thickened, and the fingers gripping the back of her neck tightened unconsciously.

Sensing his momentary distraction toward the door, Casandra parted her lips and sank her teeth hard into the side of his palm.

Dedric let out a sharp, muffled grunt, his dark brows drawing into a tight line as his grip instinctively slackened from the blinding sting.

Casandra shoved at his chest to slip toward the latch, but his fingers clamped around her wrist like steel handcuffs, yanking her straight back into his chest.

"If you have a death wish, crawl out and die alone. Don't drag me down with you," Dedric rasped against her temple, his dark, dangerous eyes pinning hers in the dim light.

"You can't even save yourself—what gives you the right to order me around?" Casandra shot back in a harsh whisper, twisting her wrist against his bruising grip.

Bang. Bang.

The stall doors down the row were being yanked open one by one. Theirs was the very last one.

Dedric loosened his grip on her wrist and gave her a sharp look, signaling her to make a noise. A man and a woman locked inside a restroom stall at midnight meant only one thing—it was the easiest way to fool the men outside.

Casandra raised her chin and stared straight back at him in silence. He had nearly suffocated her ten seconds ago, and now he expected her to play along? Not a chance. Not screaming for the guards was already her being generous.

Thinking she didn't know what to say, Dedric leaned down, his lips brushing her earlobe.

"Just say—'Easy, someone's coming.'"

Casandra's expression hardened into pure frost. Utter such humiliating words for a total stranger? Not a chance. She wedged her arms firmly between their chests, her dark eyes flashing with unyielding defiance.

The metal handle of their stall rattled violently from the outside.

"Who's in there? Come out!"

Seeing that she was defying him on purpose, Dedric's eyes narrowed. His large hand slid down to her waist and pinched the soft flesh over her hip bone hard.

"Ah—!"

Pain shot up Casandra's spine, forcing a sharp gasp from her throat before she glared up at him.

"What the hell are you—"

Before she could finish the curse, a dark shadow dropped over her face, and his cold, firm lips crashed down onto hers, swallowing the rest of her words.

Casandra's eyes flew wide open, her mind going completely blank as his dominant presence overwhelmed her senses.

There was nothing gentle about it. It was a calculated, punishing kiss meant to silence her.

She balled her fists and pounded against his ribs, but her strikes barely registered against his solid frame.

Dedric slid one hand down her cheek to lock around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his body before spinning her around and slamming her back against the stall door.

The loud thud made the man holding the handle outside jump back.

"Who's in there? Open up!"

In response, Dedric bumped her against the metal door again, setting off a steady, rhythmic rattling that echoed right after her breathless gasp. Any adult with working ears knew exactly what was happening inside.

Outside, the man paused, exchanged an awkward smirk with his partner, and rapped his knuckles lightly against the metal panel.

"Bro, take it easy—that door won't hold up to all that."

Chuckling under their breath, the two men turned and walked out of the restroom.

Dedric lifted his head, breaking the kiss, a low, magnetic chuckle rumbling in his chest.

"Thanks."

Casandra's chest heaved erratically, her lips swollen and tingling, her waist burning where his hand had bruised her. Without uttering a sound, she channeled all her fury into her shoulder and swung her palm straight for his face.