He agreed instantly. “Of course I can.”


    As he spoke, his hands slid eagerly behind Elissa, fumbling to unzip her dress.


    If her face was this delicate, her body had to be even more incredible.


    Elissa looped her arms around his shoulders, her slender fingers weaving through his hair. Her voice was soft and enticing. “The zipper’s not in the back. It’s on the side.”


    Every word was gentle, almost melting.


    Her body, too, was soft and yielding.


    te waspletely entranced. He bent down, searching for the side zipper, and the moment his fingers brushed it, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his head.


    With a furious snarl, te shoved her away. “You bitch! What the hell-!”


    Elissa crashed into the wall, her body limp and powerless. She nearly copsed to the floor before managing to steady herself.


    For a moment, all she could do was watch te roar, still full of rage. Nervous, she curled her fingers into her palm. She was so weak now–maybe the sedative hadn’t worked as well as she’d hoped.


    te clutched his head, snarling as he stalked toward her. “You really want to make


    me-”


    He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he copsed with a heavy thud.


    At that exact moment, a loud crash sounded at the hotel room door.


    But Elissa could barely register it. All she knew was that te wasn’t going to wake


    up anytime soon.


    Her mind went nk. She slid down to the floor, slumping against the nightstand, her body trembling uncontrobly from the shock.


    Rowan burst through the door and took in the scene:


    A girl, shivering, soaked in cold sweat, hair stered to her neck, her face ghostly pale, eyes zed and unfocused as she curled up on the floor.


    Just the sight made Rowan’s blood boil.


    He forced down the urge to put a bullet in te’s head, walked over quietly, and


    11:13


    wrapped his suit jacket around her torn dress. Kneeling beside her, he stroked her hair gently. “It’s alright, little Nine. You’re safe now.”


    “I’m here.”


    Anyone else in the room would have heard the tremor in Rowan’s voice.


    He was scared too.


    Hearing someone call her name, Elissa’s mind cleared for a split second. When she looked up and saw Rowan’s face, she finally realized she was truly safe.


    She stared at him, stunned. Then, without a sound, she broke down in tears–silent but overwhelming, each drop falling into Rowan’s palm, scalding his skin and stoking the fury inside him.


    She hadn’t always cried like this. As a child, her sobs had been loud and dramatic, as if she wanted to make sure Rowan heard every bit of her misery–waiting for him tofort her.


    But now, she just hugged her knees, small and silent, like a wounded fawn.


    Out in the hallway, Frank sensed something was wrong. Fearing Elissa really was in danger, he moved to rush inside.


    “I’m Elissa’s husband!” Frank’s voice was cold as ice, eyes narrowed in warning.


    He was, after all, the head of the massive Atwater Group, and when he turned stern,


    even the bravest would hesitate.


    Butn had been with Rowan too long to be intimidated. “You might want to ask around–see who people really think her husband is.”


    Thinking about how Miss Elissa had ended up in such a filthy situation,n had no patience for Frank. If he’d been even half a decent husband, she never would have been left alone tonight.


    Meanwhile, Marcia, waiting outside, nearly wanted to pop a bottle of champagne in celebration.


    That te really was something.


    In just a short span, he’d already gotten the job done.


    <b>2/2 </b>